The New York Islanders battle the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday, a team they are trying to catch in the standings.
After a 4-0 shutout loss to the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday, the New York Islanders return home to UBS Arena and host the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Bolts, who the Islanders crushed 6-2 on Feb. 8, are currently holding down the second wild-card spot with a five-point lead on New York, who has two games in hand.
Where They've Been:
The Lightning enter Saturday's game off a 5-3 loss to the Washington Capitals. Tampa struggled out of the gate, letting up two first-period goals to Nicolas Aube-Kubel and Connor McMichael. Brandon Hagel cut the deficit in half around the midpoint of the second period, but Anthony Mantha restored the two-goal lead heading into the third.
Tampa came out hot early in the third and, eventually, got the game even. Two goals by Nick Paul and Tyler Motte 24 seconds apart got the Lightning even at three. Despite outshooting Washington 15-5 in the frame, it was the Capitals who went ahead late. Rasmus Sandin put Washington up with five minutes left, and McMichael's second of the game on an empty net sealed the deal.
Players To Watch:
Ilya Sorokin is likely to make his 40th appearance and 41st start of the season on Saturday (17-12-11, 3.14 GAA, .910 SV%). S
Sorokin last started on Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins, letting up four goals on 41 shots in a victory. He is 2-4-0 in six career matchups with the Lightning, boasting a 3.70 GAA and .874 SV%, most recently making 18 saves in a 6-2 win on Feb. 8.
Six different players lit the lamp for New York the last time they faced the Lightning; Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat each tallied a goal and an assist.
Nelson and Kyle Palmieri, who each added goals of their own earlier this month, sit tied for the lead in goals against the Lightning for the Islanders with nine. Nelson has nine assists, tied with Barzal for the team lead in the category, to give him the lead in overall scoring with 17 points.
Andrei Vasilevskiy will likely be between the pipes for his 34th start of the season (19-14-0, 2.98 GAA, .896 SV%).
He let up four goals on 23 shots in the loss against Washington.
Against New York, he is 11-4-0 with a 2.11 GAA and .936 SV%, last making a 38-save shutout on Apr. 1.
Brandon Hagel has been white hot since right before the All-Star break. The Lightning forward has an 11-game point streak, totaling eight goals and eight assists in that span. Brayden Point also owns a four-game point streak, totaling three goals and two assists.
Any conversation about the Tampa Bay Lightning can't happen without Nikita Kucherov. The former Art Ross Trophy winner has 36 goals and 59 assists, good for 95 points to lead the NHL.
Steven Stamkos leads the Lightning in scoring against New York across the board with 21 goals, 24 assists, and 45 points.
Kucherov is averaging almost a point per game with eight goals and 17 assists in 27 contests. Despite being kept off the board, Point is also a nemesis, boasting 15 goals and 17 assists in 29 games, playoffs included.
New York Islanders Projected Lines:
Anders Lee - Bo Horvat - Mathew Barzal
Pierre Engvall - Brock Nelson - Kyle Palmieri
Simon Holmstrom - Jean-Gabriel Pageau - Oliver Wahlstrom
Matt Martin - Casey Cizikas - Cal Clutterbuck
Adam Pelech - Ryan Pulock
Alexander Romanov - Noah Dobson
Mike Reilly - Scott Mayfield
Ilya Sorokin
Semyon Varlamov
Tampa Bay Lightning Projected Lines:
Brandon Hagel - Brayden Point - Nikita Kucherov
Steven Stamkos -Anthony Cirelli - Mitchell Chaffee
Michael Eyssimont - Nick Paul - Connor Sheary
Cole Koepke -Luke Glendening - Tglee Motte
Victor Hedman - Darren Raddysh
Haydn Fleury - Nick Perbix
Emil Martinsen - Calvin de Haan
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Jonas Johansson
How To Watch:
The contest will be available on MSGSN. On the radio, the game will air on 88.7 FM WRHU, 103.9 LI News Radio, and 1050 AM ESPN.