Flyers at Islanders
The New York Islanders have dropped three in a row (0-2-1) for the first time in three months to fall to the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Islanders look to put a halt to that skid at the expense of the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday when the Metropolitan Division rivals meet in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Although New York capped its three-game road trip with a 3-0 setback to Dallas on Saturday, coach Jack Capuano's club returns to the Barclays Center where it is 6-0-1 in its last seven contests and plays eight of its last 12 games to end the regular season. The Islanders have won six of their last eight versus the Flyers, including four straight at home - with a 3-1 triumph on Nov. 25 and a 4-3 shootout victory on Dec. 8. While New York owns a two-point advantage over eighth-place Detroit, Philadelphia found itself three points out of the final wild-card spot after its 4-1 setback to Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon and the Red Wings' 5-3 victory over Florida later that night. The Flyers fell for just the third time in 11 outings (8-2-1).
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, TVAS, CSN Philadelphia
ABOUT THE FLYERS (34-24-12): Steve Mason is expected to shoulder the load with Philadelphia announcing on Sunday that fellow goaltender and former Islander Michal Neuvirth is sidelined for the rest of the regular season with an undisclosed lower-body injury. Neuvirth's absence comes at an inopportune time for the Flyers, who have four back-to-back sets among their 12 games remaining. Goaltender Anthony Stolarz, who has yet to play in an NHL game, was recalled from Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League on emergency conditions.
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (38-23-9): Captain John Tavares, who is slated to play in his 500th career game on Monday, has recorded six points (three goals, three assists) in his last eight contests to take over the team lead with 56. The top overall pick of the 2009 draft, Tavares traditionally has flustered the Flyers with 27 points (14 goals, 13 assists) in 33 career meetings - although he has just one assist versus the club this season. Kyle Okposo scored in the first encounter this season and also netted the lone tally of the shootout in the next.
OVERTIME
1. Mason turned aside all 20 shots he faced in a 4-0 win on Jan. 9 to improve to 6-2-3 with two shutouts in his career versus the Islanders.
2. New York has received just seven power-play opportunities in its last six games (1-3-2).
3. The Metropolitan Division rivals conclude the regular season in Brooklyn on April 10.