Game Preview: Islanders vs Jets

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (29-25-15) VS WINNIPEG JETS (44-20-5)

1 PM ET | UBS ARENA | BUY TICKETS

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LISTEN: 88.7FM | 103.9FM | ESPN 1050AM

In critical need of points, the New York Islanders kick off a back-to-back set at UBS Arena with a matinee against the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday afternoon.

The Islanders are looking to snap a six-game winless skid (0-5-1) after falling 6-3 to the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night. It’s the second-longest skid of the season for the Isles, who were 0-4-3 from Nov. 4-16. The Isles have been outscored 28-6 over the past six contests.

The Isles (73 points) currently sit five points back of the Red Wings (78 points) for the second wild card berth in the Eastern Conference and six points back of the Philadelphia Flyers (79 points) for third place in the Metropolitan Division. While the Isles hold a game in hand over both teams, there are only 13 games left in the regular season, so the Islanders need to make up ground quickly.

The Jets are coming off a 4-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, which snapped Winnipeg’s three-game winning streak.

Winnipeg (93 points) is battling for the top spot in the Central Division. The Jets are two points back of both the Colorado Avalanche (95 points) and Dallas Stars (95 points), though they have two games in hand on Dallas and one on Colorado. Winnipeg holds the first tiebreaker between the three clubs, with 39 regulation wins.

ISLANDERS NOTES:

- Semyon Varlamov will start in goal for the Islanders on Saturday, Head Coach Patrick Roy confirmed on Thursday morning. Varlamov is 7-7-4 this season with a 2.86 GAA, a .910 SV% and two shutouts. Varlamov is 3-0-0 in three games against the Jets since joining the Islanders in 2019.

- Patrick Roy remixed the Islanders lines for Thursday’s tilt in Detroit, notably shifting Mathew Barzal back to center on a line with Anders Lee and Hudson Fasching. Pierre Engvall drew back into the lineup after sitting one game as a healthy scratch on a line with JG Pageau and Simon Holmstrom. Casey Cizikas centered Kyle MacLean – who had played center in his first 19 NHL games – and Cal Clutterbuck. Matt Martin was out of the lineup as a healthy scratch.

Since the Islanders did not practice on Friday, it’s unclear whether the lines will remain intact on Saturday. Check back for lineup updates closer to game time.

- The Islanders signed forward Cam Thiesing to a two-year, two-way, entry-level contract that begins in 2024-25.Thiesing, 22, completed a three-year career at Ohio State University earlier this month, recording 16 points (nine goals, seven assists) in 31 games while serving as an alternate captain. He had 61 points (32 goals, 29 assists) in 108 career games, including a career-high 15 goals in 2022-23, which led all Buckeyes.

- The Islanders are 0-1-0 against the Jets this season, but had won the previous seven games against Winnipeg. The last time the Islanders lost a home game to Winnipeg was Dec. 4, 2018.

- Anders Lee has 16 goals in 19 games against Winnipeg, with 22 total points over that span.

JETS NOTES: 

- The Jets added a few extra passengers ahead of the NHL trade deadline, acquiring Tyler Toffoli from the New Jersey Devils for a 2025 second-round pick and a 2024 third-rounder. Winnipeg also picked up Sean Monahan from the Montreal Canadiens in early February for a 2024 first-round pick and a conditional 2027 third-round pick.

Toffoli has six points (4G, 2A) in six games with the Jets, while Monahan has 15 points (8G, 7A) in 21 games with his new club.

At the deadline proper, the Jets acquired defenseman Colin Miller from the New Jersey Devils. Miller has one assist in three games with Winnipeg.

- Jets’ Head Coach Rick Bowness has stepped away from the team after undergoing a minor medical procedure, the team announced on Tuesday. Scott Arniel is serving as the interim coach in Bowness’ absence.

- Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck leads the NHL in both GAA (2.30) GAA and SV% (.923) among goalies who have played 23 or more games. Hellebuyck is 32-15-3 this season. He is 4-5-0 lifetime against the Islanders with a 2.83 GAA and a .915 SV%.

- Mark Scheifele leads the Jets with 63 points (22G, 41A) in 62 games this season. Scheifele is riding a five-game point streak with seven points (3G, 4A) over that span.

- Kyle Connor leads the Jets with 30 goals this season. Connor has hit the 30-goal mark in each of the last six full seasons. His three-game scoring streak came to a stop in Thursday’s loss to New Jersey.

- Nikolaj Ehlers took a maintenance day on Friday and missed the team’s practice. Ehlers has five points (2G, 3A) in his last four games and 50 points (21G, 29A) in 69 games this season.