The Islanders won home games against the Vancouver Canucks, 5-2, on Tuesday, and the New York Rangers, 7-5 on Thursday. They are 5-0-2 at Barclays Center since Oct. 8. The Stars are opening a set of three road games in four days. They also play at the Rangers on Monday and at the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday. The Stars are coming off a 1-0 win in overtime against the Boston Bruins on Friday.
Players to watch
Stars defenseman Esa Lindell, who had six shots on goal and 10 total shot attempts in a game-high 28:24 against the Bruins, was bumped up to the first power-play unit in practice Saturday, replacing defenseman Miro Heiskanen. Islanders forward Anthony Beauvillier had a hat trick and an assist against the Rangers.
They said it
"[Lindell] is just a real good hockey player for us and probably the most underrated defenseman that I've seen in the League so far that no one knows about." -- Stars coach Jim Montgomery "Especially with maybe the early season struggles that [Beauvillier] has sort of had, sometimes you start not believing that you can do it anymore. Then you have a night like that and you go, 'Yeah, I got this. I'm OK. I'm OK.' " -- Islanders coach Barry Trotz on Anthony Beauvillier
Pitlick missed practice Saturday because he was ill. … Martin skated again Saturday but remains day to day. … Trotz said Dal Colle, the No. 5 pick in the 2014 NHL Draft, could make his season debut. He was recalled from Bridgeport of the American Hockey League on Thursday.
Stat pack
Dallas is 0-for-8 on the power play in the past two games. ... The Islanders are 30-9-7 all-time against Western Conference opponents at Barclays Center; the Stars won 5-2 there last season. … New York's has allowed at least one power-play goal in three straight games and its penalty kill is 73.3 percent at home this season.
