Oilers at Islanders
The New York Islanders aim to improve upon their best home start to the season in 35 years on Tuesday when they welcome the return of former first-round pick Ryan Strome and the sputtering Edmonton Oilers. The Islanders skated to a 6-4 triumph over Colorado on Sunday to improve to 6-2-0 in their last eight contests overall and 5-0-1 at Barclays Center this season, marking their best six-game start at home since 1982-83 (6-0-0).
Mathew Barzal extended his point streak to five games (two goals, eight assists) in scintillating fashion, setting up a franchise-rookie record five assists on Sunday. "It's fun to play with him. His speed is his No. 1 attribute," said former Oiler Jordan Eberle, who has fit in nicely in Brooklyn since being acquired for Strome in June. According to Sportsnet, Edmonton is not as enamored with Strome, who recorded a 50-point season in his sophomore campaign of 2014-15 but is off a horrendously slow start in 2017-18 with two goals and three assists in 13 games. The Oilers' offense has hit the skids from last season, as the club has scored two or fewer goals in nine of 13 outings and is coming off a 4-0 setback versus Detroit on Sunday.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TVA, Sportsnet Oilers (Edmonton), MSG Plus (New York)
ABOUT THE OILERS (4-8-1): Coach Todd McLellan knows that speed kills, and he's seeing his once ultra-quick club getting thrashed on the scoreboard. "I don't think we defend quick enough," McLellan told reporters. "Our penalty kill isn't reacting fast enough, our power play doesn't react quick enough. There's plays there and a lot of these open nets that are laying there, we're just a fraction slow on firing the puck. We have to play faster." Reigning Hart Trophy winner Connor McDavid was limited to a season-low 15:55 of ice time versus the Red Wings, but he'll likely see more than that as he aims to rebound against a New York club that kept him off the scoresheet in both encounters last season.
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (8-5-1): Josh Bailey extended both his career-high point streak and the NHL's longest active run to nine games by setting up a pair of goals on Sunday, earning NHL Second Star of the Week honors the following day. The 28-year-old increased his totals to two tallies and 14 assists in that stretch and is also riding an eight-game assist streak, one shy of the franchise record. Captain John Tavares has found his offense with eight points (six goals, two assists) during his four-game point streak for New York, which has scored least one goal in 17 consecutive periods.
OVERTIME
1. New York owns a sterling 9-0-1 mark against Edmonton at home in the last 10 encounters, but the Oilers skated to a 4-3 shootout win in Brooklyn on Nov. 5, 2016.
2. Edmonton sent 2017 first-round pick Kailer Yamamoto, 19, to Spokane of the Western Hockey League, thereby electing against burning the first year of his entry-level contract.
3. New York is 9-for-16 on the power play in its last four games after sputtering out of the blocks with a 2-for-33 conversation rate.