ANDER-LESS ISLES: New York Islanders Face New Jersey in First Game of Back-to-Backs

It was so nice they’ll do it twice.

The New York Islanders will face the New Jersey Devils for the second of a three-game set with their East Division rival as things shift across the Hudson River. The Islanders took the first game on Thursday 5-3 at the Nassau Coliseum in the team’s first game in front of fans in over a year.

The New York Islanders have won all but one of their clashes with New Jersey this season, with the lone loss coming on Jan. 24 at the Prudential Center.

New York scored five or more goals on Thursday for the fifth time this season with five different players getting on the score sheet. However, the Islanders’ offensive output suffered a blow in the first period when Anders Lee left the game with a lower-body injury.

The Islanders announced on Friday that he would be out indefinitely due to the injury. Lee leads the team in goals with 12 on the year.

New York will need others to step up in his place, including Brock Nelson who has 11 goals this season, five goals in his last four straight games and is on a five-game point streak. The Fourth line has stepped up offensively as well and on Thursday all six defensemen contributed at least a point.

Ilya Sorokin started in net on Thursday on Long Island and Islanders head coach Barry Trotz is expected to split his goaltenders this weekend.

What the injury to Lee means for the Islanders lineup tonight is up in the air. The Isles didn’t practice on Friday, but it could mean Oliver Wahlstrom moving up in the Islanders lineup and Trotz placing another winger on the third line to fill that gap.

Game Notes

New Jersey begins a five-game homestand tonight against the New York Islanders. New Jersey has not won a home game at Prudential Center since their Jan. 24 win over the Islanders. … This weekend will mark the fifth of seven back-to-back sets for the Devils this season. New Jersey is 0-4-0 in the first game, and 2-2-0 in the second game. … Jack Hughes (19:44) and Ty Smith (18:53) have each played over 18:00 in at least eight of the 14 games so far this season. …The Islanders have points in 18 of the last 20 games and enter tonight with a 9-0-1 record in their last 10. … The Islanders’ seven-game win streak is the longest active in the NHL currently and the longest winning streak this season in the league. … The Islanders have allowed only 60 goals in 27 games, the fewest goals allowed through 27 games in club history. Their goals against per game average (2.19) is lowest in the NHL.

How to Watch

Tonight’s game will air on MSG+ and stream on MSG Go or on NHL.TV outside of the New York market. On the radio dial, the game can be heard on 98.7 FM ESPN New York, 88.7 FM WRHU and 103.9 FM LI News Radio.