The New York Islanders battle the Tampa Bay Lightning. Here's everything to know from morning skate.
TAMPA BAY, FL -- The New York Islanders (39-28-9) kick off a weekend back-to-back as they face the Tampa Bay Lightning (44-26-6) Saturday night and then the Carolina Hurricanes Sunday night at 6 PM ET.
Puck drop is slated for 7 PM at Amalie Arena.
The Islanders are 7-6-1 on the front end of back-to-backs this season.
Ahead of morning skate Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello addressed the media.
Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello Provides Update on Barzal & Wahlstrom
These next two games can be seen as measuring sticks for New York, as Tampa and Carolina are already playoff-bound. But, per usual, that's not a focus for head coach Lane Lambert.
"I don't know that it necessarily tells us about where we are, win or lose. We just have to make sure that we are playing our game," Lambert said.
MORNING SKATE
It was an optional morning skate in Tampa, so the Islanders did not run lines.
Ilya Sorokin was in the starter's crease as he will make his 57th appearance of the season. He's 4-0-1 in his last five games, with a 1.96 GAA and a .929 SV%.
Defenseman Sebastian Aho will miss his sixth straight game. He did travel and take part in this morning's skate so that's a strong sign that his return is coming soon.
NEW YORK ISLANDERS LINES (PROJECTED)
Zach Parise-Bo Horvat-Hudson Fasching
Pierre Engvall-Brock Nelson-Kyle Palmieri
Anders Lee-Jean-Gabriel Pageau-Simon Holmstrom
Matt Martin-Casey Cizikas-Cal Clutterbuck
Adam Pelech-Scott Mayfield
Alexander Romanov-Ryan Pulock
Samuel Bolduc-Noah Dobson
Semyon Varlamov
Ilya Sorokin
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING LINES (PROJECTED)
Steve Stamkos-Brayden Point-Nikita Kucherov
Brandon Hagel-Nick Paul-Ross Colton
Patrick Maroon-Anthony Cirelli-Alex Killorn
Tanner Jeannot-Pierre-Edouard Bellemare-Corey Perry
Victor Hedman-Nicklaus Perbix
Mikhail Sergachev-Darren Raddysh
Ian Cole-Erik Cernak
Andrei Vasilveskiy
Brian Elliott
ISLANDERS NOTES
Tonight, the New York Islanders visit the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second of three matchups between the two clubs this season.
The Islanders enter tonight's game with a 6-3-1 record in their last ten games, after capturing their first shootout victory of the season on Wednesday night in Washington, D.C. Tonight, the Islanders will look to earn their first win against the Tampa Bay Lightning since December 9, 2019, and will face Tampa Bay twice in the next six days.
Tonight's matchup is also the front end of the Islanders' 15th and final back-to-back series of the 2022-23 campaign. They will look to improve to 8-6-1 on the front end of back-to-backs this season. (Via New York Islanders)
FANDUEL BETTING CORNER
Do you think the New York Islanders will beat the Tampa Bay Lightning? You can get the Islanders at +134 & -182 on the reverse puck line. The Lightning come in at +162 & +150 on the puck line.
The over for the contest is 5.5 at -124, with the under also at +102.
Lines courtesy of Fanduel Sportsbook
HOW TO WATCH
Saturday’s game will be available on MSGSN. On the radio dial, the game can be heard on 1050 AM ESPN, 88.7 FM WRHU, and 103.9 FM LI News Radio.