Devils at Islanders
THE STORY: If the New York Islanders hope to defeat the New Jersey Devils in the third meeting between the Atlantic Division rivals in seven days, they'll likely have to turn up the offense. New York, which is 1-1-0 during its three-game stretch against New Jersey, has scored only five goals in the four matchups between the clubs this season. The Islanders have won three of four at home but have lost six of nine overall. New Jersey, which has allowed three goals over its last four games, has dropped five of eight.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG (New Jersey), MSG Plus (New York)
ABOUT THE DEVILS (38-24-5): Ilya Kovalchuk has scored four goals in his last two contests following a nine-game drought. The former Maurice Richard Trophy winner has tallied in just three of his last 15 games but has recorded a pair of hat tricks during that span. Patrik Elias has scored a goal in four of his last five matches and notched two points in three of four contests. Jacob Josefson, who scored three goals in 28 games last season, has yet to tally in 28 contests this campaign. New Jersey enters Saturday two points behind fifth-place Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference and one point ahead of Ottawa.
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (28-30-9): After rookie Anders Nilsson posted a shutout over New Jersey in his third career game last Sunday, New York came up with a poor effort in a loss to the Devils on Thursday. The setback kept the Islanders seven points behind Washington for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East with 15 games remaining. "Our chances are dwindling here, and every game we lose we're that much closer to being out of it," defenseman Andrew MacDonald said. "We can't afford to be losing games like this." New York has not won a season series against New Jersey since 2007-08.
OVERTIME:
1. The Devils have won six of their last eight meetings with the Islanders.
2. New York has captured five of its last six games played on Saturdays.
3. Islanders goaltender Evgeni Nabokov's next appearance will be his 600th in the NHL.