EAST MEADOW, NY -- The New York Islanders (18-12-10) look to bounce back from a tough loss on Tuesday as they welcome the Toronto Maple Leafs (21-10-7) back to Long Island.
Puck drop from UBS Arena is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
The Islanders lost their second straight game by an identical 5-2 score against the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. The Canucks scored the game's first three goals, including two in the final few minutes of the first period.
Brock Nelson had both Islanders goals in the loss, cutting their deficit to 3-1 and 4-2 respectively. The fifth goal scored by Vancouver came shortly after Nelson’s second tally and was roped into the Islanders' empty net.
Morning Skate Updates
Ilya Sorokin (12-7-8, 3.17 GAA, .909 SV%) is in the starters crease. This will be Sorokin’s ninth straight appearance in goal since he relieved the injured Semyon Varlamov on Jan. 2 in Colorado, who has been out ever since.
Tonight’s game is his fourth straight start, and he will have started nine of the last 11 games.
Casey Cizikas, who was injured after blocking a shot against the Canucks, is week-to-week with a lower-body injury.
At this time, he has not been placed on injured reserve, so the Islanders do not have room for a call-up.
Pageau took line rushes on the fourth line as all four lines were jumbled.
Martin Jones will be the starting goaltender for the Maple Leafs, who have won four straight. Goaltender Ilya Samsonov is back up with the club after being placed on waivers last week due to poor play.
New York Islanders Lines
Anders Lee -- Bo Horvat -- Oliver Wahlstrom
Pierre Engvall -- Brock Nelson – Hudson Fasching
Simon Holmstrom -- Mathew Barzal -- Kyle Palmieri
Matt Martin -- Jean-Gabriel Pageau -- Cal Clutterbuck
Alexander Romanov -- Noah Dobson
Adam Pelech -- Scott Mayfield
Mike Reilly -- Sebastian Aho
Ilya Sorokin
Ken Appleby
Toronto Maple Leafs Lines (Projected)
Matthew Knies -- Auston Matthews -- Mitchell Marner
Tyler Bertuzzi -- John Tavares -- William Nylander
Pontus Holmberg -- Max Domi -- Calle Jarnkrok
Bobby McMann -- David Kampf -- Noah Gregor
Morgan Rielly -- TJ Brodie
Simon Benoit -- Jake McCabe
Mark Giordano -- Timothy Liljegren
Martin Jones
Ilya Samsonov
Islanders Notes
Nelson scored twice for the Islanders on Tuesday. Those were the team-leading 18th and 19th goals of the season. Nelson is now one goal shy of recording his eighth career twenty-goal season in what is his eleventh year in the NHL. Nelson is also three points shy of 500 on his career.
Barzal has always had success against Toronto during his career, with five goals and seven assists for 12 points in 14 career games. He had the assist to Horvat on the overtime winner the last time the two teams faced off.
Adam Pelech returned to the lineup on Tuesday after a twenty-game absence. In 17:33 of ice time, Pelech was minus-1.
Maple Leafs Notes
Nylander has been on fire this season and is currently riding a four-game point streak. The Swedish winger recently signed an eight-year extension with an AAV of $12.5 million. In his last two games, he has recorded six points, with two goals during that span. Nylander has 21 goals, 36 assists and 57 points this season.
Tavares scored his 999th and 1,000th career points the last time the Maple Leafs came to UBS Arena. He has four goals and five assists for nine points since that game back on December 11, in thirteen games for Toronto.
Betting Corner
The Maple Leafs are favored to win the game with a -130 on the money line. The Islanders sit at +110. The spread is -1.5 in favor of the visiting Maple Leafs and the over/under is set at 6.5
All lines are courtesy of MGM Sportsbook.
How To Watch:
Tonight’s game is a national broadcast on ESPN. On the radio, tonight’s game is available on 88.7 FM WRHU, 103.9 LI News Radio, and 1050 AM ESPN.