Game Preview: Islanders vs. Devils

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (31-17-6) VS NEW JERSEY DEVILS (19-28-7)
7 PM | NASSAU COLISEUM
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If there was ever a time to 'Rock the Barn', it's now.
On Saturday night, the New York Islanders will play in their last regular season home game of the 2020-21 campaign as they host the New Jersey Devils.
Saturday's clash will be the final meeting of the regular season between the Tri-State foes and a much-needed chance for the Islanders to get back in the win column. With Thursday's 2-1 loss to New Jersey, the Islanders' winless skid reached three-straight games (0-2-1) and as a result, they can no longer attain home ice in the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Anthony Beauvillier scored the sole goal of the game for the Blue and Orange, while Semyon Varlamov stopped 23-of-25 shots he faced in the loss.
On the flip side, the Devils' improved to 5-1-1 in their last seven games. Pavel Zacha and Michael McLeod got on the scoresheet, while Mackenzie Blackwood made 32 saves on 33 shots in the win.
While the Islanders certainly would like to enter the postseason on a winning note, the group is prioritizing its focus on playing the right way and staying healthy over results.
"The most important thing is to keep the group healthy," Islanders Head Coach Barry Trotz said after Friday's practice. "That's No. 1. Win or lose right now, it's not going to affect what's happening with us. But I do want us to do certain things; certain details in terms of our structure, certain details in terms of how we play in certain situations, those protocols have to be addressed and have to be executed. That's to me, what you're preparing for. Understanding that there isn't going to be a slip in systematic play. You know that the emotional part will be ramped up. The commitment will be ramped up."

ISLANDERS NOTES:

• Since returning to Nassau Coliseum back in December of 2018, the Islanders have posted a 45-19-8 record. The Islanders are 20-4-3 at home this season which marks their best home record - through 27 games - in the Post-Cup era.
• Beauvillier continues to ride the hot hand. The 23-year-old winger tallied his 15th goal of the season and his seventh goal in the last nine games. With the goal, Beauvillier extended his point streak to five games with six points (5G, 1A) in that span.
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• With the loss, Varlamov's record dropped to 19-11-4. The veteran Russian goalie is 12-7-2 in his last 21 decisions, allowing just 42 goals in that span. Varlamov currently leads all netminders in the NHL with his career-best seven shutouts this season.
• Mathew Barzal and Matt Martin returned to the lineup - after being rested on Tuesday night - in place of Jordan Eberle and Michael Dal Colle while Bryadon Coburn drew in on defense for Andy Greene.
• Thursday night was the first time that Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac faced their former club since being traded to the Islanders from New Jersey on April 7.
• On special teams, the Islanders finished the game 1-for-1 on the penalty kill and 0-for-2 on the power play.
• The Islanders' penalty kill continues to dominate as they have killed 34 of the last 36 opponent power plays. Their PK unit currently ranks fifth in the NHL at 93.7%.On home ice, they have killed 46 of 50 this season for a 92.0% which is second-all time to Boston's 92.4% that was accomplished in 1998-99.
• In the last 22 games, the Islanders have recorded only five regulation wins; including two vs Washington and three vs. the Rangers.
• The Islanders are 22-2-2 when scoring first and are 9-15-4 when allowing the opening goal.
• The team that has scored first has won 16 of the last 17 Islanders games.

DEVILS NOTES:

• New Jersey is 5-1-1 in its last seven games and have scored the first goal of the game for the sixth time in that stretch.
• With Zacha's goal, the centerman has three goals in his last two games. The goal was his 16th of the season which now ties him with Yegor Sharangovich for the second-most among the team. This season, Zacha has totaled 34 points (16G, 18A) and has points in six of his last five games with nine points (6G, 3A) during that span.
• McLeod's game winner marked his ninth goal of the season and second game-winner. The 23-year-old center now has 14 points (9G, 5A) through 50 games.
• Blackwood made his 34th start of the season and improved his record to 14-16-5. Blackwood has won his last five games in net and in doing so, set a new career best. The 24-year-old goalie has a 2.98 GAA and a .904 SV%.
• Miles Wood missed the game with an upper-body injury and is labeled as day-to-day. Wood leads the team with 17 goals and has totaled 25 points through 53 games.
• Rookie forwards Nolan Foote and Tyce Thompson returned to the lineup and skated on a line together next to fellow rookie Marian Studenic.
• New Jersey's power play went 0-for-1, while their penalty kill went 2-for-2 on the night. In the NHL, the Devils' power play ranks 24th (16.0) while their penalty kill is ranked the lowest at 31st (73.2%).
• The Devils rank in the bottom five for goals for average at fourth (2.32) and rank in the top five for goals against average at fifth (3.43).