Kings at Islanders
The New York Islanders haven't had much to crow about this season, but the club has every right to stick out its chest with captain John Tavares registering seven goals in his last four games and Thomas Greiss recording back-to-back shutouts for the first time in his career. The pair looks to steer the Islanders to their third straight victory and give interim coach Doug Weight a present on his 46th birthday when they play the second contest of a six-game homestand against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.
"Our goaltending was a 10 - cool, calm and collected," defenseman Thomas Hickey said of Greiss, who answered the bell after yielding seven goals versus Carolina by making 32 saves in a 4-0 win versus Boston and 23 in a 3-0 triumph of Dallas three nights later. The 30-year-old German has started eight straight games and permitted two goals or fewer in nine of his last 10 appearances, posting a stunning .942 save percentage despite the debacle against the Hurricanes. While New York is just beginning its lengthy homestand, Los Angeles wrapped up a seven-game stretch at Staples Center with its fourth loss - a 3-2 setback to San Jose on Thursday. "We're not leaving on a good note, so we've got to find some little gem in each other to get going here," said defenseman Jake Muzzin, who scored in the Kings' 4-2 victory over the Islanders on Nov. 23.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, KCOP-13 (Los Angeles), MSG-Plus (New York)
ABOUT THE KINGS (22-19-4): Coach Darryl Sutter is imploring anyone not named Jeff Carter (team-leading 23 goals) to get it in gear as Los Angeles takes its 23rd-ranked offense on the road to begin a five-game trek. Tanner Pearson has done his part by scoring four goals and setting up another during the recent homestand and recording 11 points (seven goals, four assists) in his last 13 games overall. Former captain Dustin Brown has upped his game of late by notching two assists versus the Sharks to increase his point total to six (two goals, four assists) in five games.
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (18-17-8): The impressive goal-scoring surge has catapulted Tavares (18) past Anders Lee (15) for top honors on the club. The 26-year-old Lee tallied twice in the first meeting with Los Angeles to begin a 13-goal stretch to conclude December with staunch optimism and promise. Lee was kept off the scoresheet for four games following the team's mandated bye, but has since found his game by collecting four points (one goal, three assists) during his three-game point streak.
OVERTIME
1. Los Angeles LW Dwight King has scored just one goal since tallying twice in a 25-second span in the first meeting with New York.
2. The Islanders are 0-for-21 on the power play in the last six games after scoring one goal with the man advantage in five of their previous six.
3. The Kings have won five of the last seven meetings.