Playing Spoiler, Gm 77: Lines, Previews & How to Watch vs. Rangers

On Thursday, the New York Islanders have a chance to play spoiler as they host the New York Rangers at UBS Arena. Puck drop is slated for 7:30 PM.

The New York Rangers are currently tied with the Carolina Hurricanes (106 points) for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division. Hurricanes are ahead of Rangers, as they have played one fewer game. The Rangers have not allowed a goal in three straight games.

“They’re competing for a division, you know, division banner, and for us, I think we’d love to, you know, play spoiler in that a little bit,” Islanders forward Mathew Barzal said back on Tuesday.  “I think, you know, it’s not where we want to be, you know, obviously but, you know, we got to get up get up for something and anytime Rangers/Islanders, I think, you know, both sides are excited.”

Twenty minutes before the New York Islanders optional Thursday morning skate began, netminder Semyon Varlamov took the ice along with forwards Kieffer Bellows and Oliver Wahlstrom, and defenseman Grant Hutton. Goaltending coach Piero Greco led the drills.

Semyon Varlamov then left the ice, but head coach Barry Trotz said that he would start in goal tonight, his first start since a 6-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Apr. 9. Varlamov had been battling the stomach bug.

Trotz also said that there will be a few game-time decisions Thursday, as the stomach bug is making its way around the locker room.

For the skate, only 10 players were on the ice at 10:30:

Forwards-Bellows, Wahlstrom, Johnston, Parise, Barzal

Defense- Chara, Dobson, Hutton, Aho

Netminders- Sorokin

The last time the New York Islanders hosted the New York Rangers was back on Nov. 24, while the Islanders were going through their first COVID-19 outbreak of the season. The Islanders were short nine guys that night due to a combination of COVID and injuries, as they fell 4-1.

Two of those players who did not get to participate in the first-ever Islanders vs. Rangers clash at UBS Arena were captain Anders Lee and Adam Pelech. Both were pretty excited.

“Yeah, it’d be great to host these guys and be in the game on it and just always a fun game against the rangers and expect nothing different tonight with that,” said Anders Lee.

“Yeah, it’s always fun to play the Rangers, Adam Pelech said. “And it’ll be, you know, like I said, my first time (against them) at UBS. So very exciting for me and I look forward to it.”

Although the New York Islanders will not be at full strength against their cross-town rivals, with Cal Clutterbuck and Scott Mayfield out with injuries, along with whoever is dealing with the stomach bug, it will be nice to have a much more potent lineup against the New York Rangers at UBS Arena this time around said head coach Barry Trotz.

“Yeah, the first time we played, we were missing a lot of pieces. Yeah, we would like to see how we stack up, but it would be nice,” Trotz said. “As I say, it’s sort of hour to hour right now. Before I can answer that statement, we’ll see where we are at the warm-up tonight.”

“It’d be nice to go head to head with a full lineup which we won’t without Mayfield, Clutterbuck being on the shelf right now but (we’ll) be closer than we were, being nine skaters down. It was a difficult night because they have a good team.”

On Thursday afternoon, the New York Islanders came to terms with 2020 fifth-round selection William Dufour on a three-year entry-level contract.

The New York Rangers did not skate Thursday morning. Head coach Gerrard Galant will be speaking to the media at 5:30 PM.

NEW YORK ISLANDERS LINEUP (PROJECTED)

Lee-Nelson-Beauvillier

Bailey–Pageau–Palmieri

Parise-Barzal-Bellows

Martin–Cizikas–Johnston

Pelech–Pulock

Chara–Dobson

Greene–Hutton

Varlamov

Sorokin

NEW YORK RANGERS LINEUP (PROJECTED)

Kreider-Zibanejad-Vatrano

Panarin-Strome–Copp

Lafreniere–Chytil–Goodrow

Hunt–Rooney–Reaves

Lindgren–Fox

Miller-Trouba

Nemeth–Schneider

Georgiev

Shesterkin

ISLANDERS GAME NOTES

The New York Islanders host the New York Rangers tonight, the final meeting between the two clubs this season.

The last time these teams met was April 1, at Madison Square Garden, when Mathew Barzal, Casey Cizikas and Matt Martin scored in a 3-0 Islander victory, and Semyon Varlamov finished with 27 saves in the shutout.

The Islanders enter tonight’s game with an 8-1-1 record in their last ten games on home ice, and are 4-1-0 in their last five against Metropolitan opponents.

The visiting team has won in each of the first three matchups of the four-game season series between the Islanders and Rangers.

BETTING CORNER

The New York Islanders are the home underdogs against the New York Rangers coming in at +105. They are -235 on the reverse puck line. The Rangers are -125 and are +190 on the puck line.

The over for the contest is set at 5.5, with the over at +100 and the under at -125.

These lines are subject to change. Please gamble responsibly.

HOW TO WATCH:

Thursday’s contest will be available on MSG (Rangers) & MSG +2 (Islanders).  On the radio dial, the game can be heard on 1050 AM ESPN, 88.7 FM WRHU and 103.9 FM LI News Radio.