Game Preview: Islanders vs Devils

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (10-12-6) VS NEW JERSEY DEVILS (14-17-5)7:30 PM | UBS ARENA | BUY TICKETSWATCH: MSG+ | MSG GO | ESPN+ LISTEN: 88.7FM | 103.9FM | 98.7FM
After 12 days off between game action, the New York Islanders are eager to resume their season as they host the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night at UBS Arena.

The Islanders had four games postponed between their last game on Jan. 1 through now as a result of attendance and border issues in Canada because of the COVID-19 outbreak. The Islanders' last game was a 3-2 overtime win over the Edmonton Oilers on New Year's Day.
Anders Lee scored on the power play, while Anthony Beauvillier scored in regulation and Noah Dobson secured the game-winner. Ilya Sorokin made 17 saves on 19 shots.
During that game, the Islanders had Associate Coach Lane Lambert running the bench as Head
Coach Barry Trotz was absent and tending to personal matters. Despite Trotz having returned earlier this week, Lambert will resume the head coaching duties for the time being as Trotz and Ryan Pulock, who is on long-term injured reserve (lower body), were placed in COVID-19 protocols on Tuesday morning.
The Islanders are eager to get back into game action as they look to make the most of playing 10 of their next 11 games at home heading into All-Star Weekend. It's a perfect window to start collecting points - while building off two-straight wins before the pause - and what better way than facing off against a Metropolitan Division opponent in the Devils.
"We're looking forward to playing," Islanders captain Anders Lee said. "We've had some great time here to prepare for the home stretch and the rest of our year, what's in front of us. There's a lot of games in a short amount of time. We've taken advantage of this time in between from our western Canada trip getting postponed. We're looking forward to Thursday night and getting back on the ice."
The Devils, like the Islanders, are eager to return to game action as they had their game against Tampa scheduled for Monday night get postponed. New Jersey had Pavel Zacha, Yegor Sharangovich, and Andreas Johnsson rejoin the team for a practice on Tuesday afternoon after officially exiting COVID-19 protocols. The Devils' last game was a 4-3 loss against Columbus on Jan. 8.

ISLANDERS NOTES:

• Dobson scored his second goal in as many games and extended his point streak to three-straight games where he's collected five points (2G, 3A) in that span. The 22-year-old leads the Islanders' blueline in scoring with 14 points (5G, 9A) through 26 games this season.
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ISLANDERS VIDEO
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GAME EXTRAS
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Parking
• Lee buried his 10th goal of the season to tie Brock Nelson for the team lead. The goal was the captain's third on the power play and extended his point streak to five-straight games where he has compiled as many points (3G, 2A) in that span. Lee has 12 points (10G, 2A) through 23 games this season.
• Beauvillier returned to the lineup after missing the Islanders' game against Buffalo on Dec. 30 due to being placed in COVID-19 protocols on Dec. 26. The winger scored his fifth goal of the season and his second goal in his last three games. Beauvillier now has nine points (5G, 4A) through 25 games.
• With an assist on Dobson's overtime winner, Mathew Barzal extended his point streak to eight-straight games. That streak featured Barzal being sidelined for three games from Dec. 14-30 due to being placed in COVID-19 protocols, but the centerman picked up where he left off as he has totaled 13 points (2G, 11A) in his last eight games. Barzal leads the Islanders in scoring with 21 points (6G, 15A).
• Ilya Sorokin earned his eighth win of the season as his record improved to 8-7-5. The Russian netminder has a 2.46 GAA, a .925 SV% and three shutouts.
• The Islanders power play has scored in four-consecutive contests and ranks 20th in the NHL at 18.7%.
• The Islanders are 9-4-4 when scoring first and are 1-8-2 when allowing the opening goal.

Video: Practice 01/11: Lee & Bailey

DEVILS NOTES:

• In the 4-3 loss to Columbus, Nico Hischier, Jimmy Vesey, and Marian Studenic scored for the Devils. Mackenzie Blackwood made 30 saves on 34 shots.
• Hischier, the Devils' captain, scored his seventh goal of the season and now has 21 points (7G, 14A). Hischier took a maintenance day and did not practice with the team on Wednesday afternoon.
• Vesey buried his sixth goal of the season and his two-point (1G, 1A) performance brought his season total to 10 points (6G, 4A) through 32 games.
• Studenic scored his first goal of the season as the Slovakian winger dressed in his 15th game of the season.
• Blackwood made his 21st start of the season, while his record dropped to 9-8-3. He has a 3.24 GAA, a .898 SV% and two shutouts this season. Blackwood received an inconclusive COVID-19 test on Tuesday afternoon and was confirmed on Wednesday, that Blackwood had officially been placed in protocols.
• Goaltender Akira Schmid entered COVID-19 protocols on Tuesday.
• Goaltender Jonathan Bernier will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing hip surgery on Jan. 3.
• With Blackwood, Bernier and Schmid out, Jon Gillies will start in goal for the Devils on Thursday night. Gillies has appeared in two games for the Devils this season, with a 0-1-0 record, a 2.97 GAA and a .902 SV%. The 27-year-old spent five years in the Calgary Flames organization (2015-20), one year in the Devils organization (2020-21) and after attending Islanders Training Camp, signed a one-year deal with St. Louis before being traded to New Jersey in December.
• Jack Hughes was without a point in the loss to Columbus and snapped his five-game point streak where he had totaled 12 points (4G, 8A) during that span.
• Defenseman Dougie Hamilton is on injured reserve (jaw) and was also placed in COVID-19 protocols on Jan. 7.

• New Jersey's power play ranks 31st in the NHL at 14.4%. Their penalty kill ranks 13th in the league at 81.6%.