Game Preview: Islanders at Blackhawks

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (12-12-7) AT CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS (9-19-2)

3 PM ET | UNITED CENTER

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The New York Islanders are in the Windy City to take on the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday afternoon in the first of a three-game road trip.

The Islanders picked up their third win in their last four outings with a 5-4 victory over the Blackhawks on Thursday night. Dennis Cholowski, Simon Holmstrom (1G, 2A), Noah Dobson, Bo Horvat and Max Tsyplakov scored for the Isles while JG Pageau had a three-assist night. Ilya Sorokin had a 26-save performance in his seventh consecutive start.

The Blackhawks will face the Islanders in the second half of a back-to-back set. They fell 4-1 in a matinee matchup with the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on Saturday. Jason Dickinson scored the lone goal for Chicago.

SEASON SERIES

The Isles lead the season series 1-0-0 after Thursday’s 5-4 victory, which extended the Isles’ point streak against the Blackhawks to seven games (5-0-2) dating back to 2021. The Isles are 2-0-1 in their last three trips to United Center.

PRE-GAME UPDATES

- Mathew Barzal (upper body) and Adam Pelech (upper body) have been activated off IR and will play on Sunday in Chicago. Barzal will skate on a line with Anders Lee and JG Pageau, while Pelech will play with longtime d-partner Ryan Pulock.

- Bo Horvat (lower body) is day to day and will not play on Sunday.

- Arvid Soderblom will start in goal for Chicago. Soderblom is 2-7-1 this season with a 2.74 GAA and a .908 SV%.

- Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno is sick and won't play, with Joey Anderson drawing in. Louis Crevier will draw into the lineup for Wyatt Kaiser, per Charlie Roumeliotis.

ISLES NOTES

- Adam Pelech (upper body) will return to the Islanders lineup on Sunday, Head Coach Patrick Roy told reporters on Saturday. Pelech has been out since Nov. 1 - missing 20 games - after taking a puck to the face against the Buffalo Sabres. Pelech is expected to play with longtime d-partner Ryan Pulock.

- Mathew Barzal (upper body) is considered a game-time decision for Sunday’s game, per Roy. Barzal has been out since Oct. 30 and has missed 21 games. Barzal participated in Thursday’s morning skate and Saturday’s practice with no restrictions.

- Anthony Duclair was also a full participant in Saturday’s skate, but will not play on Sunday.

- Bo Horvat missed Saturday’s practice with a lower-body injury and while his status for Sunday is unconfirmed, the center did travel with the team to Chicago.

- Oliver Wahlstrom was claimed by the Boston Bruins on Saturday afternoon after being placed on waivers by the Islanders on Friday. Wahlstrom, the 11^th overall pick in the 2018 Draft, recorded 71 points (36G, 35A) in 220 games with the Islanders over six seasons with the team.

- Pierre Engvall was also placed on waivers on Friday, and cleared on Saturday.

- Holmstrom recorded the first three-point game of his career with a goal and two assists against the Blackhawks on Thursday night. The Swedish winger has 18 points (8G, 10A) through 31 games this season, seven points shy of his career-high 25 points through 75 games last season.

- With three assists in Thursday’s win over Chicago, Pageau recorded his second three-point game of the season and 12^th of his career. Pageau, who also had three points (1G, 2A) against the Carolina Hurricanes on Dec. 7, and has 16 points (6G, 10A) through 29 games this season.

- Max Tsyplakov has three goals in his last five outings. The 26-year-old winger, playing in his first NHL season after seven years in the KHL, ranks fourth among rookies in points (17) and ties Montreal's Emil Heineman for fourth in the NHL in goals (6) among rookies.

- The Islanders’ home PK faltered on Thursday, allowing Connor Bedard’s first period power-play goal to start the scoring. Though the Isles’ home PK ranks 32^nd in the NHL (51.7%), their shorthanded numbers are improved on the road, with a 75.7% road kill (25^th in the NHL).

BLACKHAWKS NOTES

- Connor Bedard had a three-point game (1G, 2A) against the Isles on Thursday, but his three-game point streak came to an end on Saturday in New Jersey. Bedard leads the Blackhawks with 24 points (6G, 18A) in 30 games this season.

- Tyler Bertuzzi netted a pair of goals against the Islanders in the span of a minute in the third period of Thursday’s contest. The two goals marked the first and second time he’s scored against the Islanders in 15 career appearances. The 29-year-old winger is 30 games into his first season with the Blackhawks, with eight goals and five assists.

- Arvid Soderblom is the likely starter for Chicago as Drew Commesso made his first NHL start in Saturday’s 4-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils. Soderblom is 2-7-1 this season with a 2.74 GAA and a .908 SV%. Soderblom started Thursday’s game and was roughed up by the Islanders, as he allowed five goals on 19 shots before being pulled in the third period.

- The Blackhawks recalled Frank Nazar from AHL Rockford on Dec. 13. Nazar was tearing up in the AHL in his first season, with 24 points (11G, 13A) in 21 games. The 13^th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft made his season debut against New Jersey on Saturday. He played three games for Chicago last season recording one goal.

- Chicago’s penalty kill has not allowed a goal in eight straight games, going 21-for-21 over that span, including a three-for-three outing against the Islanders on Thursday. Since Nov. 1, the Blackhawks are 48-for-54 on the penalty kill (88.9%), which ranks first in the NHL.

- The Blackhawks are 2-3-0 on the second half of back-to-back games this season.