Islanders at Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets attempt to bounce back from a crushing last-second loss when they host the New York Islanders on Sunday night. Columbus appeared headed for overtime when Chicago's Ben Smith scored with four seconds left in regulation on Friday, costing the Blue Jackets a valuable point as they attempt to hold off New Jersey and Toronto for the final playoff slot in the Eastern Conference. Columbus still controls its own destiny with a one-point lead and five games to play.
Blue Jackets defenseman Dalton Prout likened Friday's defeat to a "punch in the gut" but coach Todd Richards said his team needs to have a short memory. "I went in and told the players, 'It's a hard loss but we've got to move past it,'" Richards said. "This group has been pretty resilient all year. There's been times all year when people have counted us out and the guys have responded." The Islanders are doing their best to play spoilers, earning points in seven straight games (5-0-2).
TV: 6 p.m. ET, MSG Plus (New York), FSN Ohio (Columbus)
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (31-35-11): Goaltending has been somewhat of a black hole for much of the season for New York, but the Islanders have limited opponents to two goals or fewer five times in the last seven games - including Evgeni Nabokov's 41-save shutout of visiting Columbus on March 23. Nabokov was in net for Saturday's 4-3 shootout loss to Washington, so Anders Nilsson will likely face the Blue Jackets. Michael Grabner was back in the lineup Saturday after missing nine games due to a concussion, but he took an elbow to the face and did not return.
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (39-31-7): Rookie defenseman Ryan Murray, the second overall pick in the 2012 draft, returned to the lineup Friday for the first time since undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery on March 7 and played 17 1/2 minutes while registering a plus-1. “He’s earned my confidence in him, based on his decisions, his calmness with the puck, his poise and how he defends,” Richards said of Murray, who has three goals and 17 assists in 62 games. Ryan Johansen scored for the fourth time in six games to boost his team-leading total to 31 goals.
OVERTIME
1. Blue Jackets G Sergei Bobrovsky is 9-2-0 with a 2.00 goals-against average lifetime against New York.
2. Islanders D Calvin de Haan suffered an upper-body injury Saturday, prompting the team to recall D Scott Mayfield from Bridgeport of the American Hockey League.
3. The Blue Jackets had won four straight meetings before they were blanked by the Islanders last month.