Game Preview: Islanders vs Flyers

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (7-3-0) VS PHILADELPHIA FLYERS (5-3-1)
7PM | NYCB LIVE | BUY TICKETS
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The Islanders (7-3-0) are riding a six-game winning streak after topping the Ottawa Senators 4-2 on Friday night. The Islanders overcame a 1-0 deficit powered by two first period goals from Nick Leddy, who had a three-point night, and second period strikes from Derick Brassard and Matt Martin. Thomas Greiss posted 30 saves to win his third-straight start.
The six-game winning streak marks the longest active streak in the NHL and matches the longest Isles streak from last season. The Isles last single-season, seven-game winning streak came in 1990.

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MORNING SKATE UPDATES:

• Semyon Varlamov was the first goalie off at skate, suggesting that he will be the starter for tonight's game. Varlamov has made five starts this season and collected three wins. The Russian netminder has posted a 2.43 goals against average and a save percentage of .921.
  - Michael Dal Colle, Ross Johnston and Oliver Wahlstrom are expected to return to the lineup after being healthy scratches last game against Ottawa. Matt Martin and Tom Kuhnhackl will be out of the lineup after sustaining injuries on Friday night.
  Both Martin and Kuhnhackl are expected to miss 4-6 weeks.
  - Carer Hart is expected to start in goal tonight for the Flyers.

Video: Morning Skate : Lou Lamoriello

ISLANDERS NOTES:

• The Islanders have 14 points and are ranked second in the Metropolitan Division behind Washington - Leddy's two goals were his first and second of the season and marked the second two-goal night of his career.
  - Leddy's second goal came via a penalty shot making the 28-year-old the first Islanders defenseman to score on a penalty shot in a regular season game. Leddy also assisted on Matt Martin's second goal of the season. Leddy's three-point game matched a career-high.
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  - Brassard scored in his second-straight game, which was also his second straight game on the wing. Brassard has three points (2G, 1A) through 10 games this season.
  - Johnny Boychuk assisted on Leddy's first goal of the night and registered his 200th point of his career. The 35-year-old has five points (1G, 4A) through nine games this season and 53 career goals.
  - Greiss recorded his 89th win as an Islander on Friday night, to advance to sole fifth place on the franchise's all-time leaderboard. Greiss broke a tie with former goalie partner Jaroslav Halak.
  - Tom Kuhnhackl left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury and did not return. Head Coach Barry Trotz did not have an update on Kuhnhackl after the game.
  - Michael Dal Colle, Ross Johnston and Oliver Wahlstrom were healthy scratches against Ottawa as Trotz opted to use 11 forwards and seven defensemen in the lineup.
  - Rookie defenseman Noah Dobson returned to the lineup for the first time since Oct. 11. Dobson finished plus-two and logged 12:26 time on ice, including 1:40 time on the power play.
  - The Islanders power play went one-for-three against the Sens. The Isles 31.3 conversion is ranked third in the league. However, the Isles rank the lowest in power play opportunities with just 16 through 10 games.
  - The Isles PK killed off five-of-six penalties against the Senators and is 78.6% this season.
  Barzal and Devon Toews assisted on Brassard's goal. Barzal's eight points in 10 games (4G, 4A) is tied for second on the Islanders scoreboard with Josh Bailey (4G, 4A). Toews has quietly posted seven points (2G, 5A) in 10 games to put himself third on the leaderboard.

Video: Morning Skate : Barry Trotz

ISLES VS FLYERS:

• The Islanders and Flyers split their season series 2-2-0 last season, with the road team winning all four games.
  - The Isles claimed the first meeting last October in a convincing 6-1 fashion, in which Brock Nelson scored twice. Josh Bailey broke a 2-2 tie with a pair of third period goals 1:23 apart as the Isles beat the Flyers 4-2 in Philly on March 23.
  - Philadelphia won both meetings - a week apart - at the Coliseum last season. The Flyers scored four straight to take a 4-1 victory over the Isles on March 3 and scored five unanswered goals to grab their second win of the 2018-19 season over the Isles on March 9.
  - The Islanders last win over the Flyers at the Coliseum was a 7-4 victory on Jan. 19, 2015.

FLYERS NOTES:

• The Flyers grabbed their third-straight win with five unanswered third period goals in their 7-4 comeback win over Columbus on Saturday. James Van Riemsdyk scored twice (once on the powerplay), while Jakub Voracek, Shayne Gostisbehere, Kevin Hayes (shorthanded), Michael Raffl and Travis Konecy (power play) also scored. Brian Elliot made 22 saves.
  - The Flyers have 11 points (5-3-1) and are ranked sixth in the Metropolitan Division.
  - The Flyers are now 2-0-0 against Metro Division opponents, outscoring them 11-4 in the process.
  - Philadelphia's power play went 2-for-4 against Columbus with power-play goals from Van Riemsdyk and Konecny. The unit is ranked fifth in the league with a percentage of 28.6.
  - The Flyers penalty kill went 5-for-5 against CBJ and is 82.8% this season.
  - Travis Konecny leads the Flyers with 12 points (5G, 7A) in nine games to start the season and is riding a four-game point streak (2G, 3A). Konecny, the Flyers 2015 first-round pick, inked a six-year contract extension with the Flyers at the start of training camp.
  - Oskar Lindblom, Ian Provrov and Voracek are all tied with seven points.
  - James van Riemsdyk has five points (3G, 2A) in back-to-back contests.
  - Elliot and Carter Hart have split the pipes evenly this season, each has played five games. In Elliot's four starts, the 34-year-old netminder has posted a 2.53 goals against average and a .915 save percentage. In Hart's five starts, the 21-year-old has a 2.59 goals against average and an .890 save percentage.