After sweeping a two-game homestand, the New York Islanders (27-20-14) begin their California road trip against the San Jose Sharks (15-39-7) the night before the NHL's Trade Deadline.
After sweeping a two-game homestand, the New York Islanders (27-20-14) begin their California road trip against the San Jose Sharks (15-39-7) the night before the NHL's Trade Deadline.
Puck drop from SAP Center is scheduled for 10:30 p.m.
The Islanders dropped their first meeting against San Jose at home on Dec. 5. Despite having a 4-1 lead in the third period, the Sharks rallied to tie inside the final nine minutes of regulation, with Tomas Hertl completing a hat trick to force overtime. William Eklund potted the overtime winner for San Jose, finishing a 5-4 decision.
Where They've Been:
San Jose enters Thursday's game off a 7-6 defeat at the hands of the Dallas Stars. San Jose had three different leads across regulation, and five different Sharks lit the lamp, including two goals from Anthony Duclair. However, Dallas came back to level the game on every occasion, capped off by Roope Hintz's overtime winner for the Stars after rallying from a three-goal deficit.
Players To Watch:
Ilya Sorokin was in the starter's crease for New York, as he'll make his 45th start of the season on Thursday (21-13-11, 3.03 GAA, .910 SV%). Sorokin last started on Tuesday against the St. Louis Blues, making 21 saves in the win. Against the Sharks, he is 1-0-3 with a 2.64 GAA and .915 SV%, dropping their last meeting with five goals against on 37 shots.
Mathew Barzal tallied an empty net goal in the Islanders' win over the Blues on Tuesday. He now owns a five-game point streak with two goals and four assists in that span.
Kyle Palmieri and Brock Nelson each hold three-game point streaks. Palmieri has four goals and two assists during his point streak, while Nelson has three red lights and two helpers.
Noah Dobson has an assist in three straight games; he is four helpers shy of 60 for the season.
Magnus Chrona left the ice first for the Sharks, as he will make his third start of his NHL career and first against New York (0-1-1, 5.20 GAA, .851 SV%). He last started on Mar. 2, letting up two goals on 38 shots in a shootout loss to the Stars.
Anthony Duclair has five goals over his last five games, most recently lighting the lamp twice against Dallas, and owns eight points in that span as well. He is tied with Fabian Zetterlund for the team lead in goals with 16.
Eklund enters Thursday's game on a three-game point streak. The former seventh-overall pick has two goals and an assist in that span; he also had three points the last time the Islanders and Sharks met.
Hertl and Sharks captain Logan Couture will not be in the lineup on Thursday, leaving Mike Hoffman as the Sharks' leading goal-scorer against New York with six red lights in his career. Duclair has eight assists to lead in that department; he and Mikael Granlund are tied for most points against New York overall with 11.
New York Islanders Projected Lines:
Brock Nelson - Bo Horvat - Mathew Barzal
Anders Lee - Jean-Gabriel Pageau - Kyle Palmieri
Pierre Engvall - Casey Cizikas - Simon Holmstrom
Matt Martin - Kyle MacLean - Cal Clutterbuck
Alexander Romanov - Ryan Pulock
Adam Pelech - Noah Dobson
Mike Reilly - Sebastian Aho
Ilya Sorokin
Semyon Varlamov
San Jose Sharks Projected Lines:
Anthony Duclair - Mikael Granlund - Fabian Zetterlund
Filip Zadina - William Eklund - Luke Kunin
Alexander Barabanov - Nico Sturm - Justin Bailey
Givani Smith - Ryan Carpenter - Mike Hoffman
Mario Ferraro - Kyle Burroughs
Henry Thrun - Jan Rutta
Marc-Edouard Vlasic - Calen Addison
Magnus Chrona
Kaapo Kahkonen
How To Watch:
Thursday night's game will be available on MSGSN. On the radio, the contest will air on 88.7 FM WRHU, 98.7 ESPN and 103.9 LI News Radio.