Game Preview: Islanders at Maple Leafs

NEW YORK ISLANDERS AT TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

7 PM ET | SCOTIABANK ARENA

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After three days without games, the New York Islanders are back in action on Saturday when they take on the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena.

The Islanders are coming off a 4-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday in the second game of three-game road swing. Ilya Sorokin made 19 saves on 23 shots in his ninth consecutive start. The Isles took advantage of three days without games and held practices on Thursday and Friday to reset and regroup before Saturday’s contest up north.

“This time of year, we’ve been playing games almost every other day so it’s great to get some practice time and work on some things, trying to get ready for an important game on Saturday,” Noah Dobson said.

The Maple Leafs won 6-3 over the Buffalo Sabres the first game of their back-to-back set on Friday night. Toronto stayed in the driver’s seat through a full 60-minute effort, as Bobby McMann (1G, 1A), Auston Matthews (PPG), Nicholas Robertson, Max Domi, Max Pacioretty and William Nylander (ENG) powered the offense. Matt Murray had a 24-save performance in his first NHL start since April 2, 2023.

SEASON SERIES

The Islanders will play the Maple Leafs in three of their next six games, including a home-and-home set (Dec. 31 - Jan. 2). The Islanders swept the Maple Leafs last season (3-0-0).

ISLES NOTES

- Anthony Duclair is a game-time decision against the Leafs, per Roy. Duclair has been skating with the team since Dec. 10 and has missed 28 games since he suffered a lower-body injury on Oct. 19.

- Semyon Varlamov was placed on LTIR retroactive to Dec. 3, the team announced on Thursday. Sorokin has been shouldering a heavy workload since Varlamov last played on Nov. 29. Over the course of nine consecutive starts for Sorokin, he posted a record of 4-4-1, along with a .894 SV% and a 2.77 GAA and one shutout. If Sorokin starts his 10th straight game, that will set a new career high.

- Grant Hutton cleared waivers and reported to Bridgeport on Friday. The defenseman has two assists through 12 games played for the Islanders this season, along with 11 blocks and 12 hits.

- The Islanders were shut out for the fifth time this season on Tuesday and first time since Oct. 30 in Columbus. The Isles struggled on special teams, going 0-for-4 on the night on the power play and 1-for-2 on the penalty kill. With three days without games, the Isles held practice on Thursday and Friday and special teams was a major area of emphasis in both practice days.

“Obviously it’s known in here that we need to be better on special teams,” Ryan Pulock said. “To have success, it’s such a big part of the game nowadays and we know that we have to be better.”

LEAFS NOTES

- The Maple Leafs will be taking on the Islanders in the second half of a back-to-back set after they won 6-3 on the road against the Sabres. Toronto is 4-2-1 in the second game of back to backs this season.

- The Maple Leafs recalled goaltender Matt Murray ahead of Friday’s contest, meaning that Joseph Woll is the likely starting netminder against the Isles on Saturday. Woll is 9-4-0 this season with a .918 SV% and a 2.30 GAA.

- Mitch Marner leads Toronto in assists (33) and points (44) and he’s tied for seventh in the NHL in scoring. William Nylander is the team leader in goals with 21.

- Auston Matthews, who was named captain ahead of the season, is riding a four-game point streak (2G, 2A).

- Anthony Stolarz is out for Toronto after the goaltender had knee surgery. Stolarz, who lead all netminders in the NHL with a .927 SV at the time of his surgery, has an expected timeline of 4-6 weeks for return. The 30-year-old is 9-5-2 this season and signed a two-year deal with Toronto over the offseason after winning the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers.

- Craig Berube was hired as the Maple Leafs head coach over the offseason, replacing Sheldon Keefe. Berube coached in the St. Louis blues organization from 2016-2024 and won the Stanley Cup as interim head coach in 2019. As a player, Berube has parts of 17 seasons of NHL experience with 159 points in 1,054 games played, including 28 games with the Islanders in the 2000-01 campaign.

- Lane Lambert was hired by the Maple Leafs as an assistant head coach over the offseason. The Islanders will see Lambert across the bench for the first time since he was relieved from his Isles head coaching duties on Jan. 20.

- Toronto is 14-4-0 on home ice this season and their 14 wins at home lead the NHL.