Game Preview: Islanders vs. Capitals

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (29-13-4) VS WASHINGTON CAPITALS (29-13-4)
7PM | NASSAU COLISEUM
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All season long, players and coaches have been preaching about the importance and standings implications of every game and now, that notion will be put to the test.
The New York Islanders and the Washington Capitals, the top dogs, both tied for first place, in the East Division with 62 points, will face each other three-consecutive times over six days. The two foes have been jockeying between first and second place for the past few months and with 10 regular season games left, will have the opportunity to create meaningful separation within the standings. Third-ranked Pittsburgh (61 points) and fourth-ranked Boston (58 points) aren't far back either, so this three-game set against the Capitals is an important stretch - and test - for the Islanders.

The Islanders won their second-straight game on Tuesday night as they unleashed offense with a 6-1 win over their crosstown rivals in the New York Rangers. The Islanders' newly assembled line of Anthony Beauvillier (1G, 3A), Jean-Gabriel Pageau (1G, 1A) and Josh Bailey (2G, 1A) led the way with a combined nine points (4G, 5A). Brock Nelson and Jordan Eberle also scored while Semyon Varlamov made 25 saves in the win.
Washington enters the Thursday-night tilt well-rested after the team had three days off since their last game, where they dropped a 6-3 result to Boston. After falling down 2-0 in the first period to the Bs, the Capitals rattled off three-straight goals - including two on the power play - to take a 3-2 lead in the second period. Boston would go onto score four-consecutive goals to claim the victory. T.J. Oshie scored twice including once on the power play, while Anthony Mantha also scored. Vitek Vanacek made 22 saves in the loss.

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ISLANDERS NOTES:

*Update: The Islanders will have everyone available to face the Capitals per Head Coach Barry Trotz.
• Beauvillier's four-point net was highlighted by setting a career-best with three assists in one game. The 23-year-old winger's power-play goal was a confidence booster for the unit that had gone only 1-for-16 in seven games prior. Beauvillier scored his ninth goal of the season and snapped a goal drought of seven games and a pointless drought of five games. Beauvillier now has 19 points (9G, 10A) through 37 games.
• After being sidelined for two games with an undisclosed injury, Bailey drew back in the lineup and ended his goal drought of six games with his two tallies. The veteran winger now has 28 points (8G, 20A) through 44 games.
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• Pageau buried his 13th goal of the season and now has 27 points (13G, 14A) through 45 games.
• Nelson ended a five-game goal drought and overtook the Islanders lead in goals as he potted his 16th of the season. The veteran center has totaled 26 points (16G, 10A) through 46 games.
• Eberle also rid himself of a five-game goal drought as he deposited his 15th goal of the season. The winger has put up 31 points (15G, 16A) through 46 games.
• Varlamov made his 29th start of the season and improved his record to 17-9-3. The Russian netminder has a 2.20 GAA and a .923 SV%.
• Noah Dobson returned to the lineup after being a healthy scratch against Philadelphia on Sunday night, as Bradyon Coburn made his Islanders debut. Dobson skated 14:35 and recorded an assist on Beauvillier's PPG.
• Cal Clutterbuck missed his third-straight game with an undisclosed ailment. The winger has nine points (3G, 6A) through 41 games.
• On special teams, the Islanders went 1-for-3 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill. In the NHL, the Islanders' PP ranks 25th overall (17.5%) while their PK checks in at 10th place (82.5%). The Islanders have killed 20 of the last 21 penalties.
• With the win on home ice, the Islanders have earned points in 21 of their first 23 home games (19-2-2). It's their best home record through 23 games in the Post-Cup Era.
• The Islanders followed their recipe for success by scoring first and improved to 20-1-2 when striking first and are 9-12-2 when allowing the opening goal.
• The Islanders' 2.28 goals against per game is the second-best in the NHL behind Vegas (2.18).

Video: NYI 6 vs NYR 1: Barry Trotz

CAPITALS NOTES:

*Update: Ilya Samsonov will start in goal for Washington per Caps Head Coach Peter Laviolette.
• Mantha has been red hot for the Capitals since joining the team on April 12 after being dealt in exchange for two draft picks and forwards Jakub Vrana and Richard Panik. The right winger has goals in five-straight games - including four with Washington. Mantha has totaled 26 points (15G, 11A) through 46 games.
• Oshie scored his 15th and 16th goals of the season and now has points in six of his last seven games with 10 points (5G, 5A) during that span. Through 45 games, the winger has totaled 37 points.
• Nicklas Backstrom recorded two assists in the loss and now has points in four of his last five games with seven points (1G, 6A) in that stretch. The Swedish winger skated in his 1,000th NHL game on April 15. The 33-year-old leads Washington in scoring with 47 points (14G, 33A) through 46 games.
• With an assist Dmitry Orlov extended his point streak to five games, where the Russian blueliner has totaled five points (2G, 3A) in that stretch.
• Vanecek made his 30th start of his rookie season and his record declined to 17-9-3. The Czech netminder has a 2.77 GAA and a .908 SV%.
• Trevor van Riemsdyk drew in the lineup in place of Zdeno Chara as the veteran defenseman missed his first game of the season with an undisclosed injury.
• On the blueline, Justin Schultz suffered a first-period lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.
• After going 2-for-6 on the power play against Boston, the Caps are 12-for-31 (38.7%) with the extra man in their last seven games. In the NHL, the Capitals PP is top ranked at 27.6%.
• On the flipside, Washington has also given up three shorthanded goals against in the last seven games - including one to Boston captain Patrice Bergeron on Sunday - which marks the most in the league during that span.
• The Capitals average the second-most goals scored per game - behind Colorado (3.58) - with a nightly average of 3.50.
• While Alexander Ovechkin was held without a point on Sunday, the Capitals captain is tied for fourth - with Boston's Brad Marchand - in goals with 24 this season. Ovechkin has compiled 42 points (24G, 18A) in as many games.
• While John Carlson also went pointless on Sunday, the veteran blueliner's 42 points (10G, 32A) are tied with Tampa's Victor Hedman for the most among defensemen in the NHL.