Islanders at Canadiens
The injury-ravaged New York Islanders showed no rust after a six-day break last time out and look to match that performance when they visit the Montreal Canadiens on Monday. The Islanders, who expect to be without six regulars against Montreal, received a second five-point effort this season from rookie Mathew Barzal en route to Saturday's 7-2 victory over the crosstown-rival Rangers.
“It was a great 20-man win, a great road win,” New York coach Doug Weight told reporters after his team’s second straight triumph following a five-game slide. “You can talk about structure and identity, this and that, but for you to accomplish it, you have to work and work, and we did as a unit.” The Islanders lost Casey Cizikas (upper body) on Saturday and second-leading scorer Josh Bailey (lower body) is among four forwards likely to be sidelined Monday against the Canadiens, who also saw an important player get injured in their last game. Phillip Danault (23 points) suffered a head injury Saturday, when he was struck by a slap shot from Boston’s Zdeno Chara in the second period of a 4-3 shootout loss, but he was released from the hospital on Sunday. The Canadiens have earned at least one point in three straight games (2-0-1), including a win against NHL-best Tampa Bay and the strong effort versus the red-hot Bruins.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, TSN2, RDS (Montreal)
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (22-18-4): With Bailey, Cizikas, Andrew Ladd (undisclosed) and Nikolay Kulemin (shoulder) out, New York recalled fellow forward Tanner Fritz on Sunday after former first-round pick Michael Dal Colle made his NHL debut the previous night. Anthony Beauvillier has excelled after taking Ladd’s spot on a line with Jordan Eberle (five assists on Saturday) and Barzal, posting three goals in his last two contests, and will play in his 100th NHL game on Monday. “I just feel more comfortable,” Beauvillier, who had a three-game stint in the minors before returning recently, told reporters. “I want the puck more. I know I can make plays and have success.”
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (18-20-5): Captain Max Pacioretty shares the team lead in points with Alex Galchenyuk (24) and has scored a goal in three consecutive games after recording just one in his previous 22 contests. Galchenyuk has tallied in two straight games to tie Pacioretty for second on the club with 11 while Jonathan Drouin notched his 15th assist Saturday to pull within one of Danault for the team lead. Carey Price (13-14-3, .911 save percentage), Montreal’s representative in the All-Star Game later this month, has turned aside 107 of the 113 shots he has faced in the last three games.
OVERTIME
1. Montreal D Victor Mete recorded an assist Saturday in his first game back since winning the gold medal with Canada at the World Junior Championships.
2. New York captain John Tavares has registered three points in his last four contests and leads the team with 52.
3. The Islanders has allowed a total of one goal in winning their last two meetings with the Canadiens after dropping the previous seven.