Islanders at Blue Jackets
The New York Islanders built a six-game point streak to climb over .500 for the first time this season and the next challenge is to make up some ground in the loaded Metropolitan Division. The Islanders, who are 2-6-1 on the road, try to continue their ascent when they visit the sizzling-hot Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night.
New York knocked off St. Louis 3-2 on Thursday to improve to 5-0-1 over its last six contests with forward Anders Lee posting his sixth and seventh goals in an eight-game span. “We’re playing hard and figuring it out. It takes time,” Islanders forward Cal Clutterbuck told reporters. “The effort is there. We’ve eliminated confusion and mental errors. It’s a sign of maturity.” New York must find its best form against Columbus, which lost in regulation once since Nov. 10 and knocked off Detroit 4-1 on Friday for its fifth consecutive victory – the seventh straight game with at least a point (6-0-1). The Blue Jackets stood among the top four of the league in goals for and against entering Friday’s games after allowing eight tallies in the past six contests.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG Plus (New York), FSN Ohio (Columbus)
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (11-10-5): Lee, who had only two points in 18 games to start the season before his surge, is not the only player warming up on the offensive end of the ice. Captain John Tavares has two goals and two assists in the last four games and leads the team with 21 points - four better than fellow forward Brock Nelson, who posted four in the past five contests. Forwards Josh Bailey (eight points in last nine games) and Casey Cizikas (five in last five) have also lifted their games while goalies Jaroslav Halak and Thomas Greiss boast a .942 save percentage combined during the point streak.
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (16-5-4): Cam Atkinson recorded a goal and three assists over the last two games and leads the team with 25 points while fellow forward Sam Gagner scored three times and assisted on three others the past two contests to push his total to 19. Captain Nick Foligno, who is tied for second on the team with Alexander Wennberg at 22 points, missed Friday’s game due to illness and his status is uncertain. Forward Lukas Sedlak notched his first career goal in his 23rd NHL game Friday and added an assist to push his total on the season to six points.
OVERTIME
1. Columbus G Sergei Bobrovsky allowed six goals in his last five games and is 11-4-0 with a .928 save percentage all time versus the Islanders.
2. The Islanders won all five meetings last season - two after regulation - and are 7-0-2 in the last nine.
3. Columbus recalled F Oliver Bjorkstrand to replace Foligno in the lineup and he was held scoreless for the fourth time in four games this season.