Game 1 Preview: Islanders vs Hurricanes

NEW YORK ISLANDERS VS CAROLINA HURRICANES
GAME 1 | SERIES TIED 0-0
7 PM | BARCLAYS CENTER | BUY TICKETS
WATCH: NBCSN | CBC | SN | TVA SPORTS
LISTEN: 88.7FM WRHU | 103.9FM LI NEWS | RADIO.COM/ISLANDERS
MORNING SKATE UPDATES | GAME NOTES

ISLANDERS NOTES:

• The Islanders will play a game for the first time in 10 days, sitting idle since sweeping the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 16.
  - Thomas Hickey will likely draw into the lineup for the injured Johnny Boychuk, who suffered a lower-body injury on April 16 and is expected to miss three-to-four weeks. Hickey last played on April 4, as he was healthy scratched during the first round. Hickey will likely be paired with Nick Leddy.
  - Barry Trotz did not confirm his starting goaltender for Game 1. Robin Lehner started all four games for the Islanders in the first round, stopping 130-of-136 shots in the process. While Lehner's playoff-leading .956 SV% makes him the likely candidate, Thomas Greiss had the Hurricanes number this season, going 3-1-0 while stopping 129-of-136 shots.
  - Jordan Eberle is riding a four-game scoring streak and leads the Isles in playoff goals (4) and points (6). The Islanders forward tripled his career playoff production in four games and has tied Ray Ferraro as the only Islander to score goals in his first four playoff games.
  - Mathew Barzal leads the Islanders with five assists. Barzal had at least one point in all four games against the Penguins and set up two of the Isles four game-winning goals.
  - Brock Nelson scored three goals in four first-round games, second-most on the Islanders. Nelson is riding a two-game scoring streak, both of which were game winners.

HURRICANES NOTES:

• The Hurricanes have advanced to the second round for the first time since 2009 after beating the Washington Capitals in Game 7 on Wednesday night.
  - While the Isles had 10 days between games, the Hurricanes had no such break, playing in Washington DC on Wednesday, travelling to New York on Thursday and playing on Friday.
  - Jaccob Slavin leads the Hurricanes in assists and points with nine. Warren Foegele leads the Hurricanes with four goals.
  - The Hurricanes have three injured forwards in Andrei Svechnikov, Michael Ferland and Jordan Martinook. Svechnikov and Ferland have both missed four straight games with an upper-body injury, while Martinook left Wednesday's Game 7 with a lower-body injury.
  Hurricanes Head Coach Rod Brind'Amour said he's unsure about the status of all three forwards, but said if they're able to play, they will. Svechnikov took morning skate with the Hurricanes on Wednesday, while Ferland did not.
  - Petr Mrazek is the likely starter for the Hurricanes. Mrazek has won four of his last five starts, including a 34-save performance in Wednesday Game 7 clincher.