Panthers at Islanders
The New York Islanders steadied their ship with a strong road trip before the All-Star break and now hope to put together run on home ice, starting with a visit from the stumbling Florida Panthers on Tuesday night. The Islanders, who are currently one point out of playoff position in the Eastern Conference, completed a 2-0-1 trek with a 2-1 victory at Western Conference-leading Vegas on Thursday and play seven of the next nine games at home, where they are 1-4-0 in January.
“(Three) teams have walked out of here with two regulation points in four months,” New York coach Doug Weight told reporters Thursday after beating the expansion Golden Knights, who are 19-3-2 at home. “That’s pretty special. Hopefully we look back on this one and it vaults us to do some good things.” The Islanders are second in the league in goals scored (3.38) and last in goals against (3.58) as they take on the Panthers, who lost their last three before the break and are 2-6-1 in January. Florida is fifth-worst in the league in scoring defense (3.30) and is down to its third goalie with Roberto Luongo (lower-body) still not ready to return and James Reimer (groin) placed on injured reserve. “It’s frustrating for everybody,” Panthers coach Bob Boughner, who started Harri Sateri (42 saves) in the 4-2 loss against visiting Washington on Thursday and will also have former third-round pick Samuel Montembeault available Tuesday after his recall.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Florida, MSG Plus (New York)
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (19-22-6): Left wing Jonathan Huberdeau leads the team with 47 points after registering three goals and eight assists in nine games this month. Center Vincent Trocheck (44 points) has three goals and four assists in his last six contests and All-Star center Aleksander Barkov (43) hopes to snap a three-game point drought in which he has a minus-4 rating. Defenseman Aaron Ekblad (16 points) has two goals in his last four games and is one shy of reaching double-digits for the fourth straight season to start his career.
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (25-20-5): Goaltender Jaroslav Halak raised his level of play on the recent road trip while turning aside 104 of 111 shots to raise his save percentage to .909 overall and .916 in January. Captain John Tavares has two goals in the last four games and leads the team with 57 points - three better than fellow All-Star Josh Bailey, who boasts four assists in four games since returning from injury. Center Mathew Barzal recorded an assist in each of the last four games and 12 in 11 outings this month, to lead all rookies in the league with 51 points.
OVERTIME
1. New York C Casey Cizikas (upper-body) and D Johnny Boychuk (lower-body) have begun skating, but remain questionable.
2. Florida F Denis Malgin recorded both goals in Thursday’s setback and owns four points in his last four games.
3. The Islanders are 4-1-1 in the last six meetings, including a 5-4 shootout triumph Dec. 4 in Sunrise, Fla.