Game Preview: Islanders & Canadiens Rendezvous in Montreal

After dropping a heartbreaker to the Boston Bruins on Friday, the New York Islanders (14-7-8) visit the Montreal Canadiens (12-13-4).

Puck drop from Bell Centre is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

Special teams proved the difference in Friday night’s affair. Despite two second-period goals from Alex Romanov and Simon Holmstrom, two Boston power-play goals from Morgan Geekie and David Pastrnak got Boston even after two.

Bo Horvat gave the Islanders the lead on the man advantage, but Boston’s James van Riemsdyk made the most of another Boston power play. After Brock Nelson banked home a rebound, once again in a five-on-four situation, Boston tied the game on a broken play. Julien Gauthier was taken down in the left-wing corner to no avail, leading to Charlie Coyle banking a shot off Ilya Sorokin to tie the game.

Neither team could find the net the rest of the way, leading to overtime. After a scoreless five minutes, the game came down to a shootout. Coyle and Holmstrom traded goals, but Pastrnak unleashed a shot glove side on Sorokin, finishing a 5-4 Boston win.

The Islanders did not skate this morning, with tonight being the second game of a back-to-back.

With Ilya Sorokin starting against the Bruins last night, Semyon Varlamov will make his 11th start of the season tonight (6-3-1, 2.60 GAA, .921 SV%). He has 12 career appearances, nine of them starts, against Montreal, owning a 6-1-2 record, .919 SV% and 2.58 GAA. He dropped his last meeting on February 11, surrendering four goals on 31 shots.

Montreal skated at their practice facility on Saturday.

Sam Montembeault was in the starter’s crease for the Canadiens, he will make his 12 start and 13th appearance on the season (6-4-2, 2.78 GAA, .911 SV%). He has six games’ experience against the Islanders, starting in five of them. He has a 1-2-2 career record against New York with a 2.18 GAA and .932 SV%. He started all three Islanders-Canadiens matchups last season, dropping his last outing on April 12 with four goals on 35 shots.

Anders Lee -- Bo Horvat -- Mathew Barzal

Pierre Engvall -- Brock Nelson -- Kyle Palmieri

Simon Holmstrom -- Jean-Gabriel Pageau -- Julien Gauthier

Hudson Fasching -- Casey Cizikas -- Cal Clutterbuck

Alexander Romanov -- Noah Dobson

Samuel Bolduc-- Robert Bortuzzo

Mike Reilly -- Sebastian Aho

Semyon Varlamov

Ilya Sorokin

Cole Caufield - Nick Suzuki - Juraj Slafkovsky

Sean Monahan - Jake Evans - Josh Anderson

Brendan Gallagher - Christian Dvorak - Jesse Ylonen

Michael Pezzetta - Mitchell Stephens - Joel Armia

Mike Matheson – David Savard

Kaiden Guhle - Justin Barron

Jayde Struble - Johnathan Kovacevic

Sam Montembeault

Cayden Primeau

The Islanders took two-of-three from the Canadiens last season. Their final matchup came in game 82 with a chance for the Islanders to punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Brock Nelson and Rem Pitlick traded goals in the first before Hudson Fasching gave the Islanders the lead at the end of the first. Nelson and Nick Suzuki traded goals in the second period, with Suzuki’s goal coming shorthanded. With the Islanders leading in the third, Anders Lee tipped home a shot from Sebastian Aho, finishing a 4-2 and playoff season for the Islanders.

Horvat and Barzal continued their strong seasons on Friday. Horvat scored three points, a goal, and two assists, while Barzal tallied two helpers. Horvat now owns a nine-game point streak with 15 points, six goals, and nine assists in that span. Barzal’s point streak grew to five games, boasting three goals and six assists in that stretch.

In other point streaks, Nelson extended his to three with a goal and assists on Friday. The Islanders’ all star last season scored three goals against Montreal across their final two meetings last season. He also has 15 goals and 22 points against Montreal lifetime to lead the team. Kyle Palmieri leads in assists with 11.

Montreal won the Islanders’ lone visit to Bell Centre last season. Suzuki and Nelson traded goals in the opening frame, with Horvat giving the Islanders the lead in the second period. Justin Barron tied the game for Montreal four minutes into the third, but Matt Martin got the Islanders back in front. However, Kirby Dach got Montreal even at three with under four minutes left, setting the stage for Michael Matheson to finish a 4-3 overtime win.

Montreal dropped a thriller on Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins. David Savard and Jayde Struble opened the scoring for Montreal in the first 13 minutes of play. Sidney Crosby responded 1:27 later, but Sean Monahan restored the two-goal lead before the end of the first. Power play goals by Jake Guentzel and Crosby got Pittsburgh square at three, the final markers of regulation time. After a scoreless overtime, the teams dueled in a marathon shootout.

After the first two shooters for Montreal and Pittsburgh connected, the skills contest remained tied until the seventh round. Monahan and Lars Eller traded goals once again, sending the shootout into another deadlock. In the 12th round, Jansen Harkins scored the walkoff shot, propelling Pittsburgh to the victory.

Brendan Gallagher leads the Canadiens in all scoring categories against the Islanders. The 12 year veteran has eight goals and nine assists, 17 points, in 25 games. Suzuki is a hot hand for Montreal when facing New York, he scored in all three matchups between the teams last season.

The Islanders enter Montreal as the favorites in tonight’s game, sitting at -140 on the money line; Montreal enters at +115. The over/under comes in at six goals, the over slightly more favored at -115 compared to the under at -105.

All lines are courtesy of MGM Sportsbook.

Tonight’s game is available on MSGSN2. On the radio, tonight’s contest can be found on 88.7 FM WRHU, 103.9 LI News Radio and 1050 AM ESPN.

Matthew Page contributed to this report.