New York Islanders

Islanders Game 56 Preview at St. Louis Blues: Lines, Notes & How To Watch

Published

2 months ago

February 22, 2024

The New York Islanders (23-18-14) visit the St. Louis Blues (29-24-2) tonight at Enterprise Center. Here’s everything you need to know before puck drop.

Leaning on MacLean:

Kyle MacLean is back up with the Islanders and will fill in on the fourth line for Casey Cizikas tonight in St. Louis.

Cizikas exited Tuesday night’s game in Pittsburgh after blocking a shot of his hand during the third period. Islanders president and general manager Lou Lamoriello said this morning that Cizikas will be evaluated when the team returns to New York, according to Andrew Gross of Newsday.

Lamoriello provided a few more injury updates. Firstly, Hudson Fasching will play at least one game down in AHL Bridgeport as part of a rehab assignment whenever he’s taken off long-term injured reserve. Fasching has been out of the lineup since Jan. 25.

Robert Bortuzzo will also remain on LTIR for the foreseeable future after suffering a setback while rehabbing a lower-body injury he suffered on Jan. 2. Lamoriello described Bortuzzo’s absence as “indefinite.”

Eyes On The Deadline:

While the attention of the Islanders’ players will be focused on the Blues tonight, Lamoriello will have his eyes on the trade deadline, which is now just two weeks away.

Lamoriello is reportedly looking to bring in some forward help for the Islanders and will get a first-hand look at a potential target tonight in St. Louis’ Pavel Buchnevich.

But as much as the Islanders will be active at the deadline, so too will the other teams that are in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Their moves will have just as much of an effect on the Islanders’ playoff hopes as the ones Lamoriello makes.

Projected Lineup:

Lee-Horvat-Barzal

Engvall-Nelson-Palmieri

Holmstrom-Pageau-Wahlstrom

Martin-MacLean-Clutterbuck

Romanov-Dobson

Pelech-Pulock

Reilly-Mayfield

Varlamov

Sorokin

Last Time Out:

The Islanders picked up a pair of points they desperately needed on Tuesday night against the Penguins. But of course, they didn’t come easy as the Islanders had to hold on in overtime after once again blowing a multi-goal lead in the third period.

Still, the win was one the Islanders had to have. Even more so, it needs to be the start of many more. With 27 games to go and only seven until the trade deadline, the Islanders must keep building if they’re going to have a chance at making the playoffs.

The Opponent:

Clinging on to the final wildcard spot in the Western Conference, tonight’s game means just as much for the Blues as it does for the Islanders.

Over their last 10 games, St. Louis is 6-4-0, including a pair of losses to the Toronto Maple Leafs and Nashville Predators coming into tonight.

Robert Thomas leads the Blues with 62 points this year. He shares the team lead in goals with Pavel Buchnevich and Jordan Kyrou.

Former Islanders defenseman Nick Leddy has 21 points with three goals in 55 games for St. Louis this year.

The always-feisty Jordan Binnington is expected to start in goal tonight. In 39 games, he owns a record of 19-15-2 with a 2.93 GAA and a .908 save percentage.

The Blues’ power play is operating at a 17. 9% clip while their penalty kill is just below league-average at 78.8%.

How To Watch:

Puck drop between the Islanders and Blues from Enterprise Center is scheduled for just past 8 p.m. EST. The game is available to watch on MSGSN and can be streamed on MSG Plus or ESPN Plus for out-of-market viewers. 88.7 FM WRHU will produce the radio feed of the game, which can also be heard or 103.9 FM WRCN.