Bo's Back As Islanders Battle Hurricanes: Lines, Notes & More

The Islanders are getting Horvat back.

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Dec 18, 2024

RALEIGH, N.C. — After dropping a last-minute effort to the Chicago Blackhawks, the New York Islanders (12-13-7) head to Raleigh to face the Carolina Hurricanes (19-10-1).

Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m., and the game can be found on ESPN+ and Hulu.

While Anthony Duclair (LTIR) isn’t ready to return, Bo Horvat will be back after missing Sunday’s game due to a lower-body injury.

Ilya Sorokin (9-9-4, 2.71 GAA, .906 SV%) will make his ninth straight start. He is 4-5-1, with a .907 SV% and a 3.13 GAA.

PROJECTED LINEUP

Lee-Barzal-Pageau

Engvall-Nelson-Palmieri

Tsyplakov-Horvat-Holmstrom

MacLean-Cizikas-Fasching

Romanov-Dobson

Pelech-Pulock

Cholowski-Mayfield

Sorokin

Hogberg

WHO’S HOT:

Simon Holmstrom shined in the Islanders’ back-to-back set with the Blackhawks. Following a three-point game on Thursday, he added another goal on Sunday in Chicago. Brock Nelson also has a three-game point streak, tallying three helpers in that span.

Noah Dobson scored a goal on Sunday to continue his recent upward swing on offense. Over his last 10 games, he has three goals and six assists for nine points.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau had three points in the Islanders’ last meeting with Carolina, tallying a goal and two assists. It was his first of two games with three points this season, doing so on Thursday against the Blackhawks.

Brock Nelson is close to moving up on the Islanders’ career goals list, sitting two short of moving into a tie with Brent Sutter and Pat LaFontaine for fifth place. Nelson has 285 goals in his career, all with the Islanders. He can move closer against a team he leads active Islanders in goals and points, with 14 and 27, respectively; Anders Lee is the Islanders’ leader in assists against them with 16.

OPPONENT’S NOTES:

Andrei Svechnikov had two goals in Carolina’s last matchup with New York. He enters play on Tuesday two assists short of 200 for his NHL career, totaling 142 goals and 198 assists for 340 points.

Martin Necas has a five-game point streak against the Islanders entering play on Tuesday. The forward has a goal and five assists in that span. Sebastian Aho also has points in five straight games against New York, totaling three goals and two assists.

Captain Jordan Staal is two helpers shy of 400 for his career, boasting 288 red lights and 398 helpers for 686 points. He leads the team in scoring across the board against the Islanders, totaling 16 goals and 33 assists for 49 points.

Pyotr Kochetkov will make the start for the Hurricanes on Tuesday. He took a loss on Dec. 13 against the Ottawa Senators last time out, letting up two goals on 21 shots. Against the Islanders, he is 3-2-1 with a 2.98 GAA and .871 SV% in their last meeting.