Game Preview: Islanders Host Panthers In Final Game Before All-Star Break

EAST MEADOW, NY -- With one game left before the All-Star break, the New York Islanders (20-17-11) host the Florida Panthers (29-14-4).

Puck drop from UBS Arena is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

The Islanders enter Saturday’s game off back-to-back losses, most recently against the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday. Montreal got off to a hot start in the first period, tallying goals from Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Sean Monahan. Across the final 40 minutes, the Islanders’ power play got them back even, starting with Bo Horvat’s marker in the second. Following a Brendan Gallagher five-minute major, Mathew Barzal and Kyle Palmieri got the Islanders even with just over 3:30 left. However, the tie lasted only 1:20 seconds, as a Pierre Engvall turnover led to Monahan’s second of the game, allowing Montreal to recover for a 4-3 win.

The Islanders skated at Northwell Health Ice Center this morning.

Semyon Varlamov left the ice first for the Islanders, he’ll make his second-straight start and 16th appearance of the season (6-5-2, 2.87 GAA, .914 SV%). Against Florida, he is 8-4-1 with a 2.70 GAA and .914 SV% in 14 games, most recently surrendering three goals on 32 shots in a loss on Oct. 23, 2022. 

Matt Martin skated with the team on Saturday after missing Thursday’s game due to illness.

Adam Pelech (upper body) and Hudson Fasching (lower body) were absent, as both are dealing with injuries.

The Panthers did not skate on Saturday, they are on the second game of a back-to-back.

Sergei Bobrovsky started for Florida on Friday, so Anthony Stolarz will likely make his 13th start and 15th appearance of the season (7-4-2, 2.12 GAA, .917 SV%). 

He manned the crease for the Panthers in their last matchup with the Islanders, yielding four goals on 27 shots in a loss. Lifetime, in three career games, he is 0-2-0 with a 4.37 GAA and .833 SV% against New York.

Anders Lee - Bo Horvat - Mathew Barzal

Pierre Engvall - Brock Nelson - Kyle Palmieri

Simon Holmstrom - Jean-Gabriel Pageau - Oliver Wahlstrom

Matt Martin - Kyle MacLean - Cal Clutterbuck

Alexander Romanov - Noah Dobson

Mike Reilly - Sebastian Aho

Samuel Bolduc - Scott Mayfield

Semyon Varlamov

Ilya Sorokin

Evan Rodrigues - Aleksander Barkov - Mackie Samoskevich

Carter Verhaeghe - Sam Bennett - Matthew Tkachuk

Eetu Luostarinen - Anton Lundell - Sam Reinhart

Jonah Gadjovich - Kevin Stenlund - Ryan Lomberg

Gustav Forsling - Aaron Ekblad

Niko Mikkola - Brandon Montour

Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Dmitry Kulikov

Anthony Stolarz

Sergei Bobrovsky

The Islanders defeated the Panthers in their first meeting on Dec. 2 at Amerant Bank Arena. Anders Lee and Sam Reinhart traded goals in the first period, ending the frame tied despite a 16-8 shot advantage for Florida in the period. The Islanders outshot the Panthers 13-9 in the middle frame, which helped them take the lead. Pierre Engvall and Simon Holmstrom gave New York a 3-1 lead, but Matthew Tkachuk cut the advantage in half before the end of the frame. Julien Gauthier restored the two-goal lead, but Carter Verhaeghe got the Panthers within one. Despite a final shot advantage of 47-25, Sorokin paved the way for a 4-3 Islanders’ victory.

Noah Dobson has been New York’s top playmaker entering Saturday’s game. The blueliner has eight assists in his last four games, the second time he’s played to that mark this season, He enters off a three-helper game against the Canadiens.

Horvat’s power play red light on Thursday got him back on the board after a scoreless game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday. The Islanders’ center has five points, three goals, and two assists in his last five games.

Lee’s goal against the Panthers in their last meeting gave him the team lead in goals against the Panthers with eight; the Islanders’ captain also tops the Islanders in points with 14. Along with his numbers, he owns a three-game point streak against Florida with three goals and two assists in that span. Horvat leads New York in assists against Florida with eight, adding a pair in their last meeting.

Florida is on the second game of a back-to-back, winning the first game of the set against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Every goal scored came with some sort of man advantage, starting with Jake Guentzel and Evan Rodrigues trading goals in the first period. Sam Reinhart’s PPG was the lone tally of the second to give Florida a 2-1, and Florida held the lead until the final minute of the third. With Pittsburgh on a six-on-five, Evgeni Malkin tied the game up with 42 seconds to play, forcing overtime and, eventually, a shootout. Aleksander Barkov and Malkin traded goals in the skills contest, but Reinhart scored the winner in the bottom of the third, giving Florida a 3-2 win.

Reinhart’s heroics continue his sensational contract year. The forward currently owns a 12-game point streak, totaling 13 goals and four assists in that span, including nine red lights on the power play. Despite not playing quite at his 2022-23 pace, Matthew Tkachuk has also played well recently, earning points in four-straight with three goals and four assists.

Barkov enters Saturday’s game as the Panthers’ leading scorer against the Islanders. Florida’s captain has 10 goals and 10 assists, good for 20 points, in 23 career meetings with New York. However, after owning a seven-game point streak against the Islanders, the team has held him pointless in three straight matchups.

In checking the lines for the final time before the break, it’s the Panthers who start as the favorites at -135 on the money line; New York starts at +135. The over/under starts at six goals, the over slightly favored at -115 to the under at -105.

All lines are courtesy of MGM Sportsbook.

Saturday night’s game will air on MSGSN. On the radio, the Islanders-Panthers matchup will air on 88.7 FM WRHU, 103.9 LI News Radio and 1050 AM ESPN.