Phinehas Cullen is in a place no child wants to be around the holidays. Same goes for his parents. 

Phinehas - nicknamed Phin - is in the hospital because of a kidney issue and will likely have to come back for surgery in January. It's a stressful time under normal circumstances, but somehow seems worse around the holidays. 

If there were a bright spot in all this, it was Thursday, when a group of New York Islanders came to visit the play room at Cohen Children's Medical Center in New Hyde Park. Phinehas beat Johnny Boychuk in Connect 4 and stepped in the ring with Rock'em, Sock'em Robots vs Anders Lee. Afterwards, he got to pick out a present from a pile of toys the Islanders had brought with them. 

The Skinny - Game 30
Vegas 3, Isles 2

Tomas Nosek scored the winning goal early in the third period as the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Isles 3-2 before a crowd of 9,281 at Barclays Center.  

Anthony Beauvillier scored the first Islander goal; it was his 8th goal in the last 13 games (and his third in the last four home games). Mathew Barzal assisted on both Islander goals, as he passed Josh Bailey for the club scoring lead.

Wednesday's Islanders-Golden Knights game was the type of low-chance, structured game the Islanders would take most nights. 

The Islanders limited Vegas to 17 shots and fewer chances, but despite playing good, defensive hockey for a majority of the game, they came out with no points, falling 3-2 to the Golden Knights. 

"We held a pretty good hockey team to 17 shots, you feel you should get a point out of that," Head Coach Barry Trotz said. "It's a missed opportunity. We played well in so many areas of the game, but we gave them things that were a little bit unforced." 

The New York Islanders take on the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday night at Barclays Center at 7 p.m. Buy tickets. Watch the game on MSG+, MSG GO, or NHL.TV. Listen live on 88.7FM WRHU, 103.9FM LI News or online at radio.com/islanders. Read the game preview. Check the game notes.

LINEUP NOTES: 

Cal Clutterbuck and Jordan Eberle both participated in the team's morning skate and appear to be healthy and ready to go for Wednesday's game. Both Clutterbuck and Eberle left Monday's game in the third period. 

The looks on their faces said it all. 

The smiles on children receiving new bikes, dolls, shoes and toys for the holidays. The tears of joy on the faces of their moms and dads watching their kids unwrap presents. 

It was a heartwarming scene at Northwell Health Ice Center on Tuesday night, as the New York Islanders partnered with the Family and Children's Association to sponsor a holiday party for families connected to the Nursery Co-Op in Hempstead. 

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (14-11-4) VS VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS (17-14-1)

7 PM | BARCLAYS CENTER | BUY TICKETS

WATCH: MSG+ | MSG GO | NHL.TV

LISTEN: 88.7FM WRHU | 103.9FM LI NEWS | RADIO.COM/ISLANDERS

MORNING SKATE UPDATES | GAME NOTES

SEASON SERIES (0-0-0):

This is the first meeting between the Islanders and Golden Knights this season. The Islanders won both meetings last year, winning 6-3 at Barclays Center and 2-1 at T-Mobile Arena. 

The Islanders remain the only team the Vegas Golden Knights have yet to beat in the NHL. The teams meet again on Dec. 20 in Las Vegas. 

Otto Koivula extended his goal-scoring streak to three games and Sebastian Aho collected a trio of assists last week as the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (14-8-3-1), proud AHL affiliate of the New York Islanders, split a two-game series within the division.

In fact, the Sound Tigers are in the midst of a season-long, 17-game stretch against Atlantic Division rivals. That streak continued on Wednesday when the Sound Tigers hosted the Hartford Wolf Pack at Webster Bank Arena and earned a 2-1 victory. Koivula and Chris Bourque, who scored the game-winner midway through the third period, each found the back of the net, while Aho dished out two assists and now ranks second on the team with 15 helpers. In net, Jeremy Smith (7-5-1) was stellar and backstopped the hard-fought effort with 25 saves on 26 shots.

Game 29
Pittsburgh 2, Isles 1 (SO)
Jake Guentzel set up Derick Brassard's tying goal and then scored the deciding goal in the shootout as the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Islanders 2-1 before a sellout crowd of 13,917 at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Anthony Beauvillier scored the only Islander goal; it was his 7th goal in the last 12 games (and his second in two games at the Coliseum).