New York Islanders

Islanders Gm 39: Canucks Conquest, Barzal & Wotherspoon Return Home

Published

1 year ago

January 3, 2023

After a disappointing 4-1 loss to the Seattle Kraken to kick off 2023, the New York Islanders (21-15-2) are in Vancouver to take on the Canucks (16-17-3) Tuesday night. Puck drop is slated for 10 PM ET (7 PM local time) at Rogers Arena.

The Canucks enter the contest on a two-game slide.

The Islanders are facing a player in Bo Horvat, who they have reached out to already as the pending unrestricted free agent is likely on the move before or on Mar. 3, the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline.

Forward J.T. Miller, who is having a tough season, was someone the Islanders tried to acquire at the 2022 NHL Draft, but the trade blew up on the draft floor.

After 38 games, the New York Islanders rank sixth worst on the man advantage at 18.4 percent. Over their last 29 power-play opportunities, the Islanders have just one goal, which served as the game-winner against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Dec. 29.

They made changes to their power play at Monday’s practice and will go up against the worst penalty kill in the NHL, with the Canucks at 67.9 percent.

Islanders Lambert Makes Power Play Changes, Fasching Earns Chance

Mathew Barzal & Parker Wotherspoon Return Home

New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal and defenseman Parker Wotherspoon each grew up about 30 minutes from Vancouver as they are back at home in front of family and friends.

For Barzal, he has dominated the Canucks over his NHL career with one goal and eight assists in seven games against his hometown team. For Wotherspoon, who has only been in the NHL for four games, will play his hometown team for the first time.

“My parents and grandparents have owned season tickets for probably 20, 25 years. So I grew up watching a lot of games here. I’ve probably watched 100 to 150 games here,” Parker Wotherspoon said. “I came up watching them dominate in the 2010s, 2011s, and I was at Game 7 (vs. Boston Bruins), so it’s definitely special walking out there and finally being on the ice instead of watching.”

Wotherspoon is expecting around 25 to 30 family members and friends to be cheering him on.

MORNING SKATE UPDATES

For the New York Islanders, forwards Cal Clutterbuck and Kyle Palmieri continue to take strides toward returning, but both will be out of the lineup against the Canucks. They will miss their eighth straight game, while Palmieri will have missed 18 of the Islanders last 19 games.

Ilya Sorokin (13-12-1, 2.30 GAA, .926 SV%) did not take part in the Islanders’ morning skate as he will make his 27th start of the season.

For the Canucks, Spencer Martin will be between the pipes. He is 11-6-1, with a 3.55 GAA and an .886 SV%. He owns an -8.63 GSAA, 8th worst amongst goaltenders this season, and will make his first career start against New York.

NEW YORK ISLANDERS LINES (PROJECTED)

Josh Bailey-Mat Barzal-Hudson Fasching
Anders Lee-Brock Nelson-Anthony Beauvillier
Zach Parise-Jean-Gabriel Pageau-Casey Cizikas
Ross Johnston-Aatu Raty-Matt Martin

Parker Wotherspoon-Ryan Pulock
Alexander Romanov-Scott Mayfield
Sebastian Aho-Noah Dobson

Ilya Sorokin
Semyon Varlamov

VANCOUVER CANUCKS LINES (PROJECTED)

Monday practice lines/pairings:

Mikheyev-Horvat-Boeser
Kuzmenko-Pettersson-Pederson
Garland-Dries-Miller
Joshua-Lazar/Studnicka-Lockwood

OEL-Myers
Hughes-Bear
Dermott-Schenn#Canucks

— Ben Kuzma 🇺🇦 (@benkuzma) January 2, 2023

ISLANDERS NOTES

Tonight, the New York Islanders visit the Vancouver Canucks in the first of two matchups between the two clubs this season. The Islanders last visited the Canucks on February 9, 2022, when six different Islanders scored, including Casey Cizikas, who tallied a goal and assist to help he Islanders capture a 6-3 win at Rogers Arena.

Since 2018, the Islanders have earned points in five of six meetings against the Canucks.

Tonight’s game is the second of a four-game road trip for the Islanders, after they began 2023 in Seattle on Sunday night. This evening, they will look to earn their sixth win of the season against Pacific Division opponent.

DRAFTKINGS BETTING CORNER

Do you think the New York Islanders will beat the Vancouver Canucks? You can get the Islanders at -115 & +215 on the puck line. The Canucks come in at -105 & –255 on the reverse puck line.

The over for the contest is 6 at -120, with the under also at +100.

Head over to DraftKings to place your bets now!