Islanders at Oilers
Stumbling out of the blocks has been a cause for concern for captain John Tavares, who has seen his New York Islanders drop three of four to fall to 3-2-1 on their franchise-high nine-game road trip. Clinging to the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, the Islanders look to get it in gear and put an end to a six-game (0-5-1) skid in Alberta's capital city on Tuesday when they visit the Edmonton Oilers.
"Playing as many games as we have, traveling the way we have, the hardest part is making sure we're ready to go," Tavares told Newsday after his team yielded four-first period goals en route to Sunday's 5-2 setback to Calgary. Tavares scored his team-leading 24th goal for his eighth point (four goals, four assists) in his last nine outings and had an assist in New York's 4-3 shootout loss to Edmonton on Nov. 5. Jordan Eberle had an assist in that tilt and has scored for the second time in three contests on Saturday as Edmonton opened its eight-game homestand with a 4-3 victory over Detroit. The 26-year-old has seven points (three goals, four assists) in his last eight games for the Oilers, who reside two points in front Anaheim and surging Calgary for second place in the Pacific Division.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, MSG-Plus2 (New York), Sportsnet West (Edmonton), NHL.TV
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (30-23-11): Thomas Greiss has been a feel-good story for much of the season after taking over in goal for Jaroslav Halak, but the journeyman netminder has been relieved in two of his last four starts. The 31-year-old German yielded three goals on 17 shots in a 7-0 shellacking by Columbus on Feb. 25 and permitted four tallies on 21 shots in the first period versus the Flames. Greiss' save percentage is just .892 in his last 10 games and the netminder could be without veteran defenseman Johnny Boychuk, who sat out on Sunday and is a game-time decision with a foot injury.
ABOUT THE OILERS (35-22-8): Captain Connor McDavid scored and set up a goal on Saturday to increase his assist and point streak to five games while upping his total to an NHL-best 52 and 74, respectively. The 20-year-old, who has 31 points (eight goals, 23 assists) in his last 26 contests, joined Leon Draisaitl (team-leading 23 goals) in setting up a goal for Patrick Maroon on Saturday. Draisaitl, who like Maroon scored in the first meeting with New York, has eight points (three goals, five assists) in his last nine games.
OVERTIME
1. Oilers G Cam Talbot, who is expected to get the nod despite yielding nine goals over his last three contests, made 30 saves in the first encounter with New York to improve to 5-1-0 in his career versus the club.
2. Islanders general manager Garth Snow was in the crease for his club the last time it was victorious in Edmonton on March 13, 2003.
3. Oilers D Oscar Klefbom (illness) was a full participant in practice Monday and expects to be in the lineup versus New York.