Stefen Rosner on Morning Cuppa Hockey Talking Islanders The New York Islanders [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/] have reached their first back-to-back situation of the 2024-25 schedule. On Friday night, they'll be at The Rock to face the New Jersey Devils [https://thehockeynews.com/tag/new-jersey-devilshttps://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-jersey-devils/game-day/new-jersey-devils-nj-devils-luke-hughes-brett-pesce-detroit-red-wings] (5-4-1) before returning home on Saturday night to host the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/](5-3-1). Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjEwMjI0MzM1ODkyMjYwNDMw/ed-mulholland-imagn-images.jpg] We do not know who will start in goal for either game, but the hunch is that Semyon Varlamov will get the nod on Friday while Ilya Sorokin will be between the pipes on Saturday. Patrick Roy will chat with us on Friday evening. Goals have been hard to come by for the Islanders, who have been shut out in three of their first six games of the season, sporting a 2-for-19 stretch on the power play coming off a 1-0 shutout loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday. While last year was last year, the Islanders did go 5-1-4 in the front end of back-to-backs last season, outscoring their opponents 38-34. That's points in nine of 10 games for a point percentage of .700. Oddly enough, the Islanders' first back-to-back situation last year came against the Devils, a 5-4 overtime loss: NJD: 5-4 OTL VAN: 4-3 OTL OTT: 5-3 W BOS: 5-4 OTL EDM: 3-1 W MIN: 5-0 L ANA: 6-1 W OTT: 4-3 OTL WPG: 6-3 W PHI: 4-3 W The Islanders went 1-6-3 on the back end of back-to-backs last season. The Islanders have 11 total back-to-back situations this season, with the next one next week when the Islanders host the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday before heading to Columbus to face the Blue Jackets on Wednesday.
