Islanders at Red Wings
The New York Islanders have embraced a season-best seven-game point streak (6-0-1) in their bid to climb back into the playoff race while the Detroit Red Wings have dropped a campaign high-tying five in a row (0-2-3) to see their attempt for a 26th consecutive postseason berth put in peril. The Islanders look to continue their surge at the expense of the Red Wings when the clubs meet at Joe Louis Arena on Friday.
"There's definitely a little bit of a buzz in here right now, some good positive energy and I think that's contagious," Brock Nelson said on the heels of the Islanders' 3-2 victory over NHL-leading Washington on Tuesday. Defenseman Johnny Boychuk sealed that win with an empty-net goal and also tallied in New York's 4-3 overtime loss to Detroit on Dec. 4. Captain Henrik Zetterberg (team-leading 25 assists, 35 points) scored and set up a goal in that contest and did the same in the Red Wings' 4-3 loss to New Jersey on Tuesday. Former Islander Frans Nielsen has been held off the scoresheet in five straight games, but had an assist in the first encounter with New York since signing a six-year, $31.5 million deal in the summer.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NHL Network, MSG-Plus (New York), FSN Detroit
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (22-17-9): Captain John Tavares (team-leading 19 goals, 41 points) has set up five goals during his three-game assist streak and has 14 points (eight goals, six assists) in his last nine contests overall. Tavares notched an assist in the first meeting with Detroit and has 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) in 13 career encounters. Fellow forward Josh Bailey (team-leading 24 assists) scored in the last meeting with the Red Wings and has eight points (three goals, five assists) in his last nine games overall.
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (20-21-9): Jeff Blashill did his best to light a fire under Gustav Nyquist and Anthony Mantha by replacing them on the power-play units in practice Thursday, two days after the coach felt the forwards failed to backcheck hard enough on the first of two short-handed goals by the Devils. "I took a couple guys off the power play today because I was unhappy with a choice they made on a track, on a backcheck that ended up in our net," Blashill told the Detroit Free Press. "Will they be on the power play (Friday)? They certainly might be. We'll see." Nyquist, a multi-time 20-goal scorer, has failed to tally in his last five contests while Mantha is mired in a 10-game goal drought.
OVERTIME
1. Islanders G Thomas Greiss owns a 9-2-3 mark in his last 14 games.
2. Detroit G Petr Mrazek has yielded four goals in four of his last eight outings overall, but has won four of six career decisions versus New York.
3. The Islanders have dropped four of their last six meetings with the Red Wings after posting an 8-1-1 mark in the previous 10.