Game Preview: Islanders vs Red Wings

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (8-8-5) VS DETROIT RED WINGS (8-10-2)

7:30 PM | UBS ARENA | BUY TICKETS

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LISTEN: 88.7FM | 103.9FM | ISLANDERS + UBS ARENA APP

The New York Islanders will take on the Detroit Red Wings in the middle of a three-game homestand on Monday night at UBS Arena.

In a much-needed 3-1 win over the St. Louis Blues on Saturday, the Islanders snapped a three-game winless skid. Brock Nelson led the way with a three-point performance (1G, 2A), including the game-winner, while Kyle Palmieri (2G) scored the opening goal for the Islanders and an empty-net tally to seal the deal in a victory. Ilya Sorokin made 24 saves for the Islanders. Monday’s win was the fifth regulation win of the season for the Islanders and first on home ice.

"We wanted to win that game," said Head Coach Patrick Roy after the win. "It was a key game for us, and I saw it this morning when I came to the rink. At morning skate, the guys were ready for it and, they wanted to have a strong night.”

The Red Wings dropped a 2-1 decision to the Boston Bruins on Saturday night in the conclusion of a brief two-game homestand. Lucas Raymond tied the game at one at the 19:51 mark of the first period, and the game remained even until Boston's Brad Marchand scored midway through the third period to win it for the Bruins. Cam Talbot made 27 saves in the losing effort.

MORNING SKATE UPDATES

- Semyon Varlamov will get the start against the Red Wings on Monday, per Head Coach Patrick Roy. Varlamov is riding a personal three-game point streak (2-0-1) and has allowed six goals in his last four starts. Varlamov is 3-3-2 this season, along with a 2.60 GAA and a .903 SV%.

- Alex Lyon will start for Detroit. The 31-year-old netminder is 3-4-0 this season, along with a 2.85 GAA and a .904 SV%. Lyon is 2-0-0 against the Islanders this season with a 0.50 GAA, a .981 SV% and one shutout in the first two meetings.

- Red Wings winger Patrick Kane will not play on Monday, as the veteran is considered day-to-day. Kane has 10 points (3G, 7A) in 20 games this season.

SEASON SERIES

It hasn’t been long since the Islanders last faced the Red Wings, as Detroit edged the Isles in a 2-1 victory on Thursday at Little Caesars Arena. The Islanders trail the season series 0-2-0 as they also dropped a 1-0 decision on Oct. 22 although they allowed just 11 shots on goal in the contest. Monday’s tilt will conclude the season series for these two teams.

Though it's early in the season, Roy likes to emphasize that games against Eastern Conference opponents are four-point contests. The Islanders are 5-5-1 against the East this season, including a 3-3-0 record against opponents in the Atlantic Division.

ISLANDERS NOTES

- Kyle Palmieri had a two-goal performance – his 30^th multi-goal game of his career and sixth with New York - on Saturday with the Islanders’ opening goal and an empty-net goal to secure the win. Palmieri leads the team in goals (9) and points (18).

- Brock Nelson tied John Tonelli for ninth on the all-time franchise list with 544 points. Nelson’s second period power-play tally held up as the game-winner and marked his first PPG of the season. Nelson leads the Isles with two game-winners this season.

Nelson leads the Isles with 16 goals and 26 points against the Red Wings through 31 career appearances.

- Ilya Sorokin picked up his 100^th career win on Saturday night after he was stuck at 99 for his previous four starts. He became the sixth goaltender in Isles history to reach the triple-digit mark in wins and his next victory will tie Thomas Greiss for fifth place. Sorokin has a lifetime record of 100-70-33, along with .919 SV% and a 2.54 GAA, all with the Isles.

- The Islanders power play converted for the first time in four games on Saturday – and it was a timely power play goal – as Nelson’s PPG held up as the game-winner. New York is 2 for 13 in its last six games. Although the Isles were disciplined in taking one penalty against the Blues, they faltered and allowed a power play goal in the third period.

- Simon Holmstrom scored the lone goal for the Islanders in a 2-1 loss to Detroit on Thursday. With an assist on Saturday, the Swedish forward is riding a two-game point streak.

- Scott Mayfield’s 10 blocked shots established a career-high, beating his previous high of eight blocked shots recorded on April 9, 2016. Per Islanders statistician Eric Hornick, Mayfield's 10 blocks are the most by any NHL player in a game this season and No player has had more since Derek Forbort had 11 for Winnipeg vs Montreal on March 4, 2021.

- The Islanders are first in the NHL in the dot with a 55.9 FOW%.

RED WINGS NOTES

- Dylan Larkin recorded his 300^th career assist on Raymond’s goal on Saturday night. He’s riding a four-game point streak (2G, 3A), which includes an assist against the Isles on Thursday. Larkin leads his team in goals (11) in his 10^th season with Detroit.

- Raymond leads the team in assists (15) and points (19) in his fourth season with the Red Wings.

- Detroit owns the NHL’s sixth-ranked power play, converting at 28.1%, but it has cooled off in its last two outings. The Red Wings went 0 for 4 on the man advantage on Saturday vs the Bruins and 0 for 3 against the Islanders on Thursday.

- The Red Wings have struggled on the PK this season (66.7%), as the only team in the NHL ranked lower than the Islanders.

- Detroit's 2022 eighth overall pick Marco Kasper has played in 16 games this season after making his NHL debut on April 2 of the 2023-24 campaign. The 20-year-old has two goals and two assists, with both goals coming in his last five outings.