New York Islanders Morning Skate Updates With Christmas in the rearview, the New York Islanders [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/latest-news/scott-mayfield-new-york-islanders-injury-return-defense] (16-8-9) return to action against the Pittsburgh Penguins (15-13-4). Puck drop from UBS Arena is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. New York Islanders Are Their Own Worst Enemy Tonight’s game marks the midpoint of a five-game stretch against Metropolitan Division opponents. New York is 1-0-1 in that stretch, most recently defeating the Carolina Hurricanes.` The Islanders’ Sebastian Aho opened the scoring over 11 minutes in, but Teuvo Teravainen responded over a minute later. Brock Nelson and Bo Horvat gave the Islanders a 3-1 lead after 20 minutes, and the two teams traded goals throughout. The Hurricanes’ Aho and Mike Reilly potted goals in the second; Jaccob Slavin and Anders Lee traded early blows in the third. After Stefan Noesen got the Hurricanes within one, timely saves by Ilya Sorokin propelled the Islanders to a 5-4 win. MORNING SKATE UPDATES The Islanders skated at Northwell Health Ice Center this morning. Ilya Sorokin was the first goalie off for the Islanders, as he’ll make his 22nd start of the season tonight (10-4-7, 3.09 GAA, .914 SV%). This will be his seventh straight start against the Penguins, a streak that dates back to Nov. 26, 2021. He has a 6-3-0 record lifetime against Pittsburgh, including a 2.71 GAA and .918 SV%, most recently allowing three goals on 36 shots in a 4-3 overtime win on Mar. 9. Oliver Wahlstrom, who played for Julien Gauthier last Wednesday against the Washington Capitals before sitting against the Hurricanes, draws back in. Scott Mayfield [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/latest-news/scott-mayfield-new-york-islanders-injury-return-defense], who has been out with an upper-body injury since Dec. 11, was back on the ice with his teammates. Pittsburgh skated at UBS Arena on Wednesday. Tristan Jarry was in the starter’s crease for Pittsburgh, he’ll make his 23rd start of the season tonight (9-11-2, 2.61 GAA, .913 SV%). He started three of the teams’ meetings last season, most recently surrendering four goals on 28 shots on Mar. 9. Lifetime, he is 10-3-1 with a 2.45 GAA and .919 SV%. NEW YORK ISLANDERS LINES (PROJECTED) Anders Lee - Bo Horvat - Mathew Barzal Pierre Engvall - Brock Nelson - Kyle Palmieri Simon Holmstrom - Jean-Gabriel Pageau - Hudson Hudson Fasching - Casey Cizikas - Cal Clutterbuck Alex Romanov - Noah Dobson Samuel Bolduc - Robert Bortuzzo Mike Reilly - Sebastian Aho Ilya Sorokin Semyon Varlamov PITTSBURGH PENGUINS LINES (PROJECTED) Jake Guentzel - Sidney Crosby - Rickard Rakell Reilly Smith - Evgeni Malkin - Valtteri Puustinen Radim Zohorna - Lars Eller - Drew O’Connor Jansen Harkins - Noel Acciari - Jeff Carter Marcus Petterson - Kris Letang Ryan Graves - Erik Karlsson John Ludvig - Chad Ruhwedel Tristan Jarry Alex Nedeljkovic ISLANDERS NOTES The Islanders swept the Penguins aside last season, the first time that’s happened in regular season play. The Islanders earned come-from-behind wins in three of those games, most recently in their last meeting on Mar. 9. Lee opened the scoring in the first period, but Jake Guentzel, Jason Zucker, and Josh Archibald rallied for three-straight goals through 40 minutes. Despite being outshot 26-13, the Islanders came back on goals from Hudson Fasching and Lee once again. In the overtime, following an Ilya Sorokin save, Brock Nelson went all alone on Jarry, finishing the play blocker side to cap off a 4-3 overtime win. Lee enters tonight’s game on a three-game point streak, earning goals in all three contests. The Islanders’ captain had a three-point night on Saturday, adding two assists along with a red light, to make it three goals and two helpers in that span. After losing a career-best 11-game point streak, Bo Horvat got back on the scoresheet Saturday with a goal and assists. The Islanders’ center has nine goals and 10 assists since Nov. 28. Lee and Nelson each have five-game point streaks against the Penguins entering tonight. Nelson has five goals and six assists in that span, while Lee has eight goals and an assist. Nelson’s streak has padded his lead as the Islanders’ leading scorer against Pittsburgh, with 19 red lights and 16 assists, 35 points, in 39 games. PENGUINS NOTES Pittsburgh enters tonight’s game off a 5-4 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators. Jakob Chychrun and Lars Eller traded goals to start the scoring, but Josh Norris responded 30 seconds after Eller’s goal. Ottawa had multi-goal leads twice in the second, with Brady Tkachuk adding on early in the middle period. Rickard Rakell answered for Pittsburgh, but Erik Brannstrom restored the two goal lead through 40 minutes. Pittsburgh came back to tie on goals from Drew O’Connor and Kris Letang, sending the game to overtime. Just over a minute in, Tim Stützle got in alone on Alex Nedeljkovic and finished, propelling Ottawa to a 5-4 and Jacques Martin’s first victory as Senators’ coach. The last 10 games have been the Sidney Crosby show for Pittsburgh. The Penguins captain has four goals and three assists in his last five games, including two goals and two assists in a three-game point streak. Overall, Crosby has dominated the Islanders throughout his NHL career. In 82 games, he boasts 41 goals and 91 assists, 132 points, including two goals and nine assists in his last 10. BETTING CORNER The Islanders enter tonight’s contest as the favorite, sitting at -125 on the money line; Pittsburgh starts at +105. The over/under starts at six goals, the over slightly favored at -115 with the under at -105. All lines are courtesy of MGM Sportsbook. HOW TO WATCH Prior to tonight’s game, NHL Network will attend the opening of The Park at UBS Arena. The Islanders’ new outdoor rinks and tailgate area will be the home of MSGSN’s pre-game show starting tonight. Puck drop can be found on MSGSN. On the radio, tonight’s game is available on 88.7 FM WRHU, 103.9 LI News Radio, and the ESPN NY app. Matthew Page [https://twitter.com/matthewpage24] contributed to this report.
