Jets at Islanders
Captain John Tavares has long since been the face of the New York Islanders, however, promising rookie Josh Ho-Sang is turning heads as well. The duo looks to help the Islanders continue both their good fortune at home as well as their success against the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday when the clubs complete their two-game season series.
Tavares recorded his 11th point (six goals, five assists) in his last 12 games on Tuesday by netting his ninth career overtime tally in New York's 3-2 victory over Carolina. The 26-year-old also had a goal and an assist on New Year's Eve as the Islanders improved to 10-3-1 in their last 14 meetings with the Jets with a 6-2 romp. While New York has collected points in 11 of its last 12 home contests (9-1-2) to cling to the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, Winnipeg saw its bid to end a four-game losing skid put on hold Tuesday as its tilt versus New Jersey was postponed due to Winter Storm Stella. Rookie sensation Patrik Laine (team-leading 33 goals) has recorded 10 goals and five assists in his last 10 contests and is nearly averaging a point per game this season in his bid to win the Calder Trophy.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN3 (Winnipeg), MSG-Plus2 (New York), NHL.TV
ABOUT THE JETS (30-33-7): Nikolaj Ehlers, who scored in the first meeting with New York, increased his point total to seven (two goals, five assists) in five games by setting up a pair of goals in Winnipeg's 5-4 overtime loss to Nashville on Monday. While the Jets aren't struggling on the offensive end, coach Paul Maurice's club is allowing the NHL's third-most goals per contest (3.2) while its 28th-ranked penalty kill (76.4 percent) has yielded six power-play goals in the last three games. Connor Hellebuyck, who has started six in a row and 12 of the last 13 contests, permitted four goals on 15 shots before being replaced in the second period in the initial encounter versus the Islanders.
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (33-25-11): Ho-Sang extended his point streak to three games (two goals, three assists) by scoring and setting up a goal for the second straight contest. The 21-year-old set up the win with a takeaway at center ice before entering the zone and leaving a drop pass for Tavares, who wristed a shot from the top of the slot past a screened Cam Ward. "Watching him play, I was like 'Geez, he's going to have a good career, but he's got to learn a lot of things,'" coach Doug Weight told Newsday. "So, yeah, I am (surprised). I don't think I'm astonished, but I'm pleasantly surprised at how fast he's come along."
OVERTIME
1. New York C Josh Bailey, who had two of his team-leading 37 assists in the first game versus Winnipeg, resides one point shy of 50 for the season and 300 in his career.
2. Jets C Mark Scheifele (team-leading 41 assists, 69 points) has three goals and 13 assists in his last 12 games.
3. Veteran G Thomas Greiss has allowed just seven goals en route to winning all three career outings versus Winnipeg as a member of the Islanders.