Islanders at Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes look to build off a confidence-building comeback victory and avenge a season-opening loss when they host the improving New York Islanders on Sunday. The Hurricanes, who dropped an overtime decision at home on Oct. 4 despite outshooting the Islanders 46-20, battled back from a two-goal deficit Friday to register a 4-3 shootout victory over red-hot San Jose.
“I think the way we won is what’s important versus necessarily who we (beat),” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour told reporters. “The way we came back after getting punched in the face, really a couple of times. I think that speaks a lot for the group.” Sebastian Aho can match the franchise record set by Hall-of-Famer Ron Francis in 1984-85, when the team was known as the Hartford Whalers, of 11 straight games to start the season with at least one point. The Islanders hope to stop that streak and earn at least one point for the fourth time in five games after captain Anders Lee recorded a goal and three assists in an impressive 6-1 win at Philadelphia on Saturday. “I like the fact we stayed aggressive through the whole game,” New York coach Barry Trotz told reporters. “The last game (3-2 overtime loss to Florida), we were aggressive for two periods and then we sat back for a little bit. We didn’t want to do that.”
TV: 5 p.m. ET, MSG Plus (New York), FS Carolinas
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (4-4-1): Josh Bailey recorded a pair of assists Saturday to extend his point streak to four games and pull into a tie with Lee for second on the team with nine points - one behind Mathew Barzal. Brock Nelson scored twice in the victory over Philadelphia, giving him four goals in his last three contests and a team-high five overall this season. Robin Lehner has started four straight games but could give way Sunday to Thomas Greiss, who has not opened a game in net since Oct. 17 at Anaheim and owns 99 career victories.
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (6-3-1): Carolina leads the league in shots per game (41.7) and has three players with double-digit point totals - Aho (15), Micheal Ferland (10) and Teuvo Teravainen (10). “This year, we know we can outscore teams, so if we’re down two goals into the second period, we know we can fight back,” forward Brock McGinn told reporters. “We never want to give up on each other, and that’s what we’re doing right now.” Goaltender Scott Darling, who suffered a lower-body injury late in the preseason, could make his 2018-19 debut on Sunday.
OVERTIME
1. New York RW Cal Clutterbuck left the game against the Flyers with an upper-body injury and will be re-evaluated on Sunday.
2. Carolina D Dougie Hamilton scored his first goal of the season Friday and leads the team with 44 shots.
3. The Islanders have won five of the last seven meetings after Bailey’s overtime goal in the season opener.