After extending their winning streak to four games against the Montreal Canadiens, the New York Islanders (36-27-15) continue their quest for postseason play against the Montreal Canadiens (30-36-12).
EAST MEADOW, NY -- After extending their winning streak to four games against the Montreal Canadiens, the New York Islanders (36-27-15) continue their quest for postseason play against the Montreal Canadiens (30-36-12).
Puck drop from UBS Arena is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
The Islanders dropped both of their meetings with the Canadiens this season, most recently falling in Patrick Roy's return to Montreal on Jan. 25. Montreal got three goals in the first period with Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Sean Monahan lighting the lamp.
The Islanders battled back to tie, with Bo Horvat, Mathew Barzal, and Kyle Palmieri scoring across the second and third periods. However, the tie was short-lived, as Monahan's second of the game got Montreal back in front with 2:12 left, giving the Canadiens a 4-3 win.
However, the meeting didn't go without controversy. The Islanders scored two power-play goals following a major penalty for Brendan Gallagher's dangerous hit on Adam Pelech.
The Islanders' magic number to clinch sits at six entering play on Thursday. A win could guarantee a potential clinching scenario on Saturday, but they'd need some extra help to do it.
Where They've Been:
Montreal did the Islanders a favor on Tuesday, defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 9-3. Juraj Slafkovsky opened the scoring in the first period, but the Canadiens' offense exploded for five goals in the middle 20.
Four different players lit the lamp in the second, including Slafkovsky twice to complete the hat trick, with Josh Anderson, Brendan Gallagher, and Christian Dvorak.
Ryan Poehling, Joel Farabee, and Erik Johnson lit the lamp for Philadelphia in the third, but Gallagher, Dvorak, and Joel Armia had answers for each Philadelphia strike, giving the Canadiens the blowout win.
Players To Watch:
Roy confirmed that Semyon Varlamov will once again be in the net for the Islanders; it will be his 26th start of the year and third straight (12-8-4, 2.69 GAA, .917 SV%). He earned the win against the New York Rangers with 31 saves. Against Montreal, he is 6-3-2 in 14 games with a 2.81 GAA and .912 SV%, taking the loss in his last outing with four goals against on 22 shots.
Noah Dobson has developed into a Canadien killer with his playmaking abilities.
The defenseman has 11 assists in his last five games with Montreal, which is part of a six-game point streak, during which he also scored a goal. His 11 helpers are the second-most against any team in the NHL, trailing only the Rangers with 13.
Barzal enters Thursday's game on a five-game assist streak, totaling six in that stretch. Palmieri has goals in three straight games, scoring the eventual game-winner against the Rangers on Tuesday.
Dobson had two assists against the Rangers on Tuesday, becoming the second defenseman in Islanders history to record 60 helpers in a season. He also reached the 70-point mark for the first time in his career, becoming the third blueliner to do it, joining Denis and Jean Potvin.
While his three-game goal streak was snapped in their last meeting, Brock Nelson leads the Islanders in goals and points against Montreal with 17 and 24. Palmieri leads the Islanders in assists against them with 12.
Sam Montembeault will make his 39th start this season and will look for a sweep of the Islanders (16-15-7, 3.10 GAA, .904 SV%). He earned the win on Tuesday with 33 saves against the Flyers. In his lifetime against New York, he is 3-2-2 with a 2.40 GAA and .930 SV%, winning the last matchup with 43 saves on 46 shots.
Cole Caufield enters play on Thursday with a five-game point streak; the former first-round pick has four goals and an assist in that span. Michael Matheson also has points in five-straight, totaling eight helpers.
Suzuki has developed into an Islander-killer early in his career. Entering Thursday's game, he was riding a five-game point streak against them. The Montreal captain has four goals and three assists in that stretch. He leads the team in goals and points with 33 and 75, respectively.
Josh Anderson leads the Canadiens in goals against the Islanders with nine. Gallagher leads in the remaining offensive categories with 10 assists and 18 points.
New York Islanders Projected Lines:
Casey Cizikas -- Bo Horvat -- Mathew Barzal
Simon Holmstrom -- Brock Nelson -- Kyle Palmieri
Anders Lee -- Jean-Gabriel Pageau -- Pierre Engvall
Matt Martin -- Kyle MacLean -- Cal Clutterbuck
Alexander Romanov -- Noah Dobson
Adam Pelech -- Ryan Pulock
Mike Reilly -- Sebastian Aho
Semyon Varlamov
Ilya Sorokin
Montreal Canadiens Projected Lines:
Cole Caufield -- Nick Suzuki -- Juraj Slafkovsky
Brendan Gallagher -- Alex Newhook -- Joel Armia
Tanner Pearson -- Jake Evans - Josh Anderson
Michael Pezzetta -- Christian Dvoark -- Rafael Harvey-Pinard
Michael Matheson -- David Savard
Jordan Harris -- Johnathan Kovacevic
Jayden Struble -- Justin Barron
Sam Montembeault
Cayden Primeau
How To Watch:
Thursday's game will air on MSGSN. On the radio, the contest is available on 88.7 FM WRHU, 103.9 LI News Radio and the ESPN NY app.