Islanders at Ducks
Perhaps a trip to the West Coast can shake the New York Islanders from their doldrums, but three games in four nights - starting with a contest against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday - seems to be a tall task. New York will be well-rested, though, as it hasn't played since a 3-2 setback in overtime against Pittsburgh on Friday - its seventh loss in eight games (1-3-4).
The Islanders, who also play at San Jose on Friday and are winless on the road (0-4-1), hope history repeats itself as they went 2-1-0 on their last two California swings, igniting a 13-2-0 run in 2014-15 and an 11-3-2 stretch in 2015-16. “I have a lot of belief in everyone in that room. (Coach) Jack (Capuano), the staff, our players ...,'' Islanders general manager Garth Snow told reporters. "The great part about facing adversity is you see who rises to the top.'' New York was expected to be a Stanley Cup contender in 2016-17 after reaching consecutive playoffs for the first time since 2002-04 and winning its first series since 1993, but instead has the fewest points in the NHL while in the bottom 10 in goals for and against, penalty killing and power-play efficiency. Anaheim comes off a 3-2 loss to Los Angeles - the Islanders' opponent Wednesday - but is 5-2-1 in its last eight games.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, Sportsnet, MSG Plus (New York), Prime Ticket (Anaheim)
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (5-8-4): Captain John Tavares (13 points) and Brock Nelson (12) share the team lead with five goals apiece and are the only players with more than eight points. Jaroslav Halak (3-5-4, 3.08 goals-against average, .905 save percentage) made his seventh straight start Friday despite New York continuing to carry three goaltenders with Thomas Greiss (2-3-0, 2.71, .909) and Jean-Francois Berube, who hasn't played this season. The Islanders won 3-2 in overtime Oct. 16 on Josh Bailey's goal for their third straight victory over the Ducks, and have won two in a row in Anaheim.
ABOUT THE DUCKS (9-7-3): Anaheim has been bolstered by the return of Rickard Rakell, who scored his sixth goal of the season Sunday and has 10 points in 10 games since returning from abdominal surgery and a contract dispute. Rakell sees time on the top line with captain Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry while also working on the No. 3 unit as Randy Carlyle continues to use him wherever he needs an offense boost. Ryan Kesler (team-high eight goals), Jakob Silfverberg (six) and Andrew Cogliano (five) comprise Anaheim's highest-scoring line with Kesler recording seven of his scores in 10 November games.
OVERTIME
1. New York D Dennis Seidenberg (four goals, eight points, club-best plus-10 rating) resumed skating but isn't close to returning due to a broken jaw.
2. Ducks LW Joseph Cramarossa and D Clayton Stoner missed Sunday's game with lower-body injuries. D Shea Theodore was recalled from San Diego of the AHL on Sunday, but was scratched when D Kevin Bieksa shook off an illness to remain in the lineup.
3. The Islanders lost their last five games when scoring two or fewer goals in their previous contest, while Anaheim won six such games in a row.