Game Preview: Islanders vs Capitals

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (37-19-7) VS WASHINGTON CAPITALS (36-21-7)
7 PM | NYCB LIVE | BUY TICKETS
WATCH: MSG+ | MSG GO | NHL.TV
LISTEN: 88.7FM WRHU | 103.9FM LI NEWS | RADIO.COM/ISLANDERS
MORNING SKATE UPDATES | GAME NOTES

Video: Islanders shut out Capitals in Trotz's return, 2-0

ISLANDERS NOTES:

• The Islanders are currently in first place in the Metropolitan Division with 81 points, surpassing their point total from the 2017-18 season (80).
• Friday's matchup pits the first place Islanders (81 points) against the second place Capitals (79 points). The Isles hold a game in hand over their Metro Division rivals.
• The Islanders are coming off a 6-1 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night. The win marked the Islanders second win of the season over the Leafs, winning both games by a combined 10-1 score.
• Friday's game is the third of five straight games at NYCB Live. The Islanders are 7-2-2 at the Coliseum this season.
• Friday's game is the second of a back-to-back set for the Islanders. The Islanders are 9-0-1 in the second half of back to backs.
• Thomas Greiss is likely to start in goal for the Islanders on Friday. Greiss has started in both games against the Capitals this season, recording a 19-save shutout on January 18. Greiss is 17-9-2 this season with a 2.26 GAA, .928 SV% and four shutouts. Greiss is 5-1-1 in his last seven starts.
• Casey Cizikas scored his career-high 18th goal of the season on Thursday, doubling his previous career-high.
• Barry Trotz is one win shy of 800 for his career.

CAPITALS NOTES:

• The Capitals are in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 79 points.
• Washington has won two straight games, most recently beating the Ottawa Senators 7-2 on Tuesday. The Capitals are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games.
• Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, is leading the NHL in goals with 44 in 63 games this season. Ovechkin is also leading the Capitals with points (74).
• Capitals defenseman, John Carlson, is fourth among all NHL defenseman with 57 points (10G, 47A) in 63 games this season.
• The Capitals are playing their first game at Nassau Coliseum (now NYCB Live) since April 25, 2015. That was Game 6 of the 2015 playoffs, a 3-1 Isles win.
• Washington made a pair of trades ahead of the trade deadline last week. They acquired Carl Hagelin from the LA Kings on Feb. 21 for a third-round pick in the 2019 draft and a conditional sixth-round pick in the 2020 draft. The Capitals also acquired defenseman Nick Jensen and a 2019 fifth-round pick (originally from Buffalo) from the Detroit Red Wings on Feb. 22 for defenseman Madison Bowey and a 2020 second-round pick.