The Pittsburgh Penguins travel to New York to take on the Islanders.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are back from California, but their road trip continues against their division rival, the New York Islanders. After closing out their west coast trip with a win against the San Jose Sharks, the Penguins take on the Islanders for the second time this season. These two teams will meet twice in the next four days, and here’s what to watch for in the first matchup.
1. Pens Offense vs. Ilya Sorokin
The premier matchup of this game is whether or not the Penguins can get to goaltender Ilya Sorokin. These two teams have battled frequently over the past few seasons, and it’s consistently come down to this matchup.
Sorokin is one of the best goaltenders in the league, and is coming off of his second all-star appearance. Against the Penguins in the regular season, Sorokin is 3-3 with a 2.56 goals against average.
Facing off against him is a surging Sidney Crosby, hot off of a three point performance. His line combined for eight points in San Jose, and they’ll look to light the lamp some more against Sorokin and the Islanders.
2. Islanders and Horvat Settling In
The Islanders pulled off a trade deadline blockbuster when they acquired former Vancouver Canucks captain Bo Horvat. Through five games, he’s been as advertised, with three goals and four points.
The team is still figuring it out, despite the addition of Horvat. They’ve lost their last three games, and are looking to reverse the skid against the Penguins.
3. DeSmith Finally Turning Around?
Tristan Jarry remains out for the Penguins, and Casey DeSmith continues to fill in. He’s poised to make his eighth straight start in New York. He’s won four of his last seven starts, and has looked significantly better between the pipes. While he’s still not a long-term starter, his improved play has been a huge catalyst for the Penguins’ success out of the all-star break.
The Penguins and Islanders face off at 7:00p.m.
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