Arizona wraps up its season-opening homestand with a Saturday night (Oct. 23) tilt with the New York Islanders. The contest is the Coyotes' first game against the Islanders since Feb. 17, 2020 - a 2-1 win for Arizona. The clubs split the season series in 2019-20 at one game apiece.
Saturday marks the final home game of the month, as the team will play its next six on the road spread across two weeks.
PACK FACTS
Dysin Mayo joined a short list of blueliners in Coyotes/Jets franchise history by lighting the lamp in his NHL debut on Thursday versus Edmonton. The goal made him just the eighth defenseman to do so (27th skater), and the first since Anthony DeAngelo on Nov. 8, 2016. Additionally, Mayo is just the 10th defenseman in the NHL to tally in his NHL debut - regular season or postseason - since the beginning of 2017-18.
Saturday is scheduled to be Phil Kessel's 905th consecutive game played. The winger has found the scoresheet both times he's faced the Islanders in a Coyotes uniform, posting an assist in each game. In his last 15 games against the Isles in his career, he's registered 21 points (5-16-21), which includes chipping in at least a point in 13 of those 15 performances. His 51 career points (22-29-51) across 50 career games against the Islanders is his third-highest total against an NHL team.
Karel Vejmelka is expected to start his second consecutive game. Among the six rookie goaltenders to see action so far this year, Vejmelka leads the group in games (3), and ranks third in SV% (.908) and GAA (2.82).
A LOOK AT THE ISLANDERS
New York (1-2-1, 3 pts) has secured a point in each of its last two games (1-0-1). Beginning the year playing its first 13 games on the road, the Islanders have started Ilya Sorokin in all four games, to which he's posted a .901 SV% and a 3.50 GAA. Up front, former 11th-overall pick Oliver Wahlstrom paces the club in both goals (3) and points (3), and recently recorded at two-goal game in the Islanders lone win of the campaign (Oct. 19 at Chicago).
MILESTONES TO WATCH
Phil Kessel: Three power-play assists from 200 career NHL power-play assists.
Clayton Keller: Four assists from 130 career NHL assists.
Clayton Keller: Four points from 200 career NHL points.
Johan Larsson: One game from 450 career NHL games.
KEY CONNECTIONS
Ex-Coyotes
• None
Ex-Islanders
• Andrew Ladd (2016-20)
Jay Beagle (2014-18), Travis Boyd (2017-18) and Liam O'Brien (2014-15, 2016-18) played for Barry Trotz while with the Washington Capitals.
Ryan Dzingel played with Jean-Gabriel Pageau in Ottawa from 2015-19.
Loui Eriksson was teammates with Zdeno Chara in Boston from 2013-16.
Carter Hutton played for Barry Trotz while with the Nashville Predators in 2013-14.
Johan Larsson was briefly teammates with Zach Parise in Minnesota during the 2012-13 season.
