Penguins at Islanders
After being embarrassed in the opener of their string of three road games in four days, the Pittsburgh Penguins look to atone for their performance when they visit the New York Islanders on Friday. Pittsburgh kicked off its tight trek with a 7-1 loss in Washington on Wednesday, allowing the game's first six goals before Phil Kessel prevented a shutout with 3:32 remaining in the third period.
Penguins captain Sidney Crosby had a night to forget, as he was kept off the scoresheet for just the second time in 10 contests this season while finishing with a minus-3 rating and losing 18 of his 26 faceoffs. A two-time Hart Trophy winner and the reigning Conn Smythe Trophy recipient, the 29-year-old Crosby came through in Pittsburgh's 4-2 home victory over the Islanders on Oct. 27, scoring the winning goal with 2:25 left in the third while adding an assist. New York is hoping to halt a three-game slide (0-2-1) that featured a pair of losses to Tampa Bay in which it was outscored 8-1 - including Monday's 4-0 setback at home. Captain John Tavares has been held to one assist during the skid after posting a five-game point streak and has scored just one goal in his last nine contests.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet, TVA, ROOT (Pittsburgh), MSG Plus (New York)
ABOUT THE PENGUINS (10-4-2): A hefty price was paid in Wednesday's defeat as goaltender Matt Murray and forwards Chris Kunitz and Patric Hornqvist came away with injuries. Murray exited the contest late in the first period after being hit in the face with teammate Evgeni Malkin's stick and successfully completed the NHL's concussion protocol but was kept on the bench. Kunitz (lower body) and Hornqvist (concussion) missed Thursday's practice and were deemed "day-to-day" by coach Mike Sullivan.
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (5-8-3): Tavares, who leads the team with 12 points, is five away from tying Pat Flatley (488) for 11th place on the franchise list. Josh Bailey, who is tied with defenseman Dennis Seidenberg for third on the club with eight points, also is climbing New York's all-time lists. The 27-year-old right wing's next assist will be his 164th, breaking a deadlock with Ziggy Palffy for 25th place, while his next point will give him sole possession of 24th - snapping a three-way tie with Jason Blake and Steve Thomas (258).
OVERTIME
1. Kessel passed Crosby for second place on the Penguins in scoring with 14 points, one behind leader Malkin.
2. Seidenberg has recorded four goals in 15 games, leaving him three shy of matching his career high set in 2010-11 with Boston.
3. Malkin had his four-game point streak snapped Wednesday as he was kept off the scoresheet for just the second time in his last 10 contests.