Lightning at Islanders
The New York Islanders aim for their fourth consecutive victory when they host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday. New York has bounced back nicely from a three-game losing streak, posting one-goal triumphs over Chicago and New Jersey at home before edging the Red Wings 2-1 in Detroit on Friday. Brock Nelson and Anders Lee each recorded a goal and an assist, with the latter netting the game-winner midway through the third period. The Islanders have won nine of 10 at home since dropping a 4-3 decision to Winnipeg on Oct. 28.
Tampa Bay will be concluding a five-game road trip during which it has gone 1-2-1. The Lightning rallied from an early two-goal deficit on tallies by captain Steven Stamkos in the second period and Nikita Kucherov with 41 seconds remaining but were unable to convert against Keith Kincaid in the shootout and suffered a 3-2 loss to the Devils. New York and Tampa Bay split the first two meetings this season, with each winning at home by a 5-2 score.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), MSG Plus 2 (New York)
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (20-10-4): Tampa Bay went 0-for-5 on the power play Friday but managed to earn a point for the first time in 11 games when trailing after two periods. Evgeni Nabokov made the start versus New Jersey but is expected to be back on the bench in New York as either rookie Andrei Vasilevskiy or Ben Bishop will get the call. Bishop exited a loss at Pittsburgh on Monday after suffering a lower-body injury and has missed two contests.
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (22-10-0): New York welcomed back defensemen Johnny Boychuk and Travis Hamonic from upper-body injuries on Friday. Boychuk, who missed nine games, recorded two shots and blocked one in exactly 20 minutes of ice time while Hamonic registered one shot, one block and a game-high five hits in 20:55. The duo helped the Islanders successfully kill both of their penalties after the club allowed eight goals on 18 opportunities over its previous six games.
OVERTIME
1. Nelson's goal on Friday was his team-leading 14th - two more than captain John Tavares, who has gone three games without a tally.
2. Tampa Bay hopes to have C Tyler Johnson in the lineup as he missed Friday's contest with the stomach flu.
3. The Lightning have lost five of their last seven overall games and are 2-4-2 in their last eight on the road.