Islanders at Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes look to keep their winless streak from reaching double digits as they kick off a three-game homestand Saturday against the New York Islanders. Arizona suffered a 3-2 overtime loss in Anaheim on Friday to fall to 0-8-1 since recording a shootout victory at Toronto on Dec. 15.
The Coyotes, who are just one point ahead of NHL-worst Colorado (27), also have struggled at home, winning just once in their last nine at Gila River Arena (1-6-2). After having a five-day break in the middle of their four-game road trip, the Islanders conclude a trek-ending set of back-to-back contests when they visit Arizona. New York began its excursion by splitting games in Minnesota (6-4 loss Dec. 29) and Winnipeg (6-2 victory Dec. 31) at the end of last month and did not return to the ice until Friday, when it dropped a 2-1 decision in overtime to Colorado. Captain John Tavares leads the Islanders with 27 points and is two away from 500 for his career.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, MSG Plus 2 (New York), FSN Arizona
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (15-15-7): Anders Lee leads the team with 14 goals and has gone more than one contest without a tally (a two-game stretch from Dec. 10-13) only once since a 14-game drought from Oct. 21-Nov. 22. The 26-year-old left wing is one goal away from matching his total in 80 contests last season. Defenseman Adam Pelech, who has not played for New York since suffering an upper-body injury Nov. 28, was recalled from Bridgeport of the American Hockey League on Thursday but was a healthy scratch against the Avalanche.
ABOUT THE COYOTES (11-22-6): As the losses on the scoreboard continue to pile up, so do the losses in the lineup. Jordan Martinook (upper body), Martin Hanzal (lower body) and defenseman Jakob Chychrun (head) all exited Friday's setback against the Ducks and are questionable to face New York. Hanzal scored his second goal in three games prior to leaving to tie Radim Vrbata for the team lead with nine. Vrbata also tops the club with 24 points but has been kept off the scoresheet in each of the last three contests.
OVERTIME
1. Islanders G Thomas Greiss has allowed a total of seven goals while going 3-0-1 in his last four starts.
2. Coyotes LW Anthony Duclair recorded a pair of assists against Anaheim to match his point total from the previous nine games and notch his first multi-point performance of the season.
3. Johnny Boychuk scored New York's lone goal Friday, tying Nick Leddy for the team lead among defensemen with five.