Game Preview: Islanders at Avalanche Nov. 16

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (10-6-2) AT COLORADO AVALANCHE (12-1-5)

9 PM EST | BALL ARENA

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The New York Islanders head to Colorado in search of their fifth straight win when they take on the Avalanche at Ball Arena on Sunday night.

Matthew Schaefer was the most recent hero for the Islanders, scoring the overtime winner in a 3-2 victory over the Utah Mammoth on Friday night. Emil Heineman got the Isles on the board first, but the Mammoth took control and held a 2-1 lead before Jonathan Drouin scored the game-tying goal late in the third period. Schaefer’s OT goal secured the Islanders fourth straight win - third consecutive OT win (a franchise-first) and second straight win where they found a late goal to tie the game and get the job done in overtime.

David Rittich made 27 saves in the win and improved to 4-2-0 on the season.

SHABANOV TO RETURN

Max Shabanov will make his return after an upper-body injury sidelined him for 12 games. The Russian winger will play on a line with Casey Cizikas and Cal Ritchie. Shabanov has three points (1G, 2A) in six games for the Isles.

Shabanov skated with the second power play unit on the right half wall on Sunday for morning skate, which was his spot before his injury, which Head Coach Patrick Roy said that Shabanov sustained in the game against the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 16 and played through until Oct. 21 against San Jose.

"The game against Ottawa, he was outstanding," Roy said. "He made some great plays. The two hits he took, he stayed in the game and played in the following game, realized he couldn't take it anymore. But I'm very impressed with him and I really look forward to see how he's going to play tonight."

As a result, Max Tsyplakov will be a healthy scratch, in addition to Kyle MacLean. Tysplakov has one goal through 12 games for the Isles.

MAYFIELD DRAWS BACK IN

Scott Mayfield rejoined the team for the road trip after missing two games for the birth of his first child, a baby boy named Theodore.

“Everyone’s good,” Mayfield said. “It’s been a crazy week, it’s been fun.”

On the hockey side of things, Mayfield said he missed some exciting games - the Islanders got their second and third straight OT win when he was out - but he’s feeling good and ready to contribute. Mayfield, who has three assists through 16 games this season, will play on a pair with Alexander Romanov.

Adam Boqvist will come out of the lineup as a result. Boqvist has four blocked shots and one hit through six games this season.

MITCHELL RETURNED TO BRIDGEPORT

The New York Islanders returned Travis Mitchell to the Bridgeport Islanders on Saturday. The defenseman was recalled on Thursday and was a healthy scratch for two games.

Mitchell, 25, has three assists through 12 games with Bridgeport this season. The 6’4” 203 lbs. blueliner recorded 13 points (4G, 9A) through 65 games last season and racked up 101 penalty minutes. He is in his fourth season in Bridgeport after playing four years at Cornell University.

SCHAEFER MAKES HISTORY AGAIN

Matthew Schaefer continues to soar above and beyond expectations. Schaefer’s OT goal was the first in his career and broke Sidney Crosby’s record as the youngest player in NHL history to score in overtime.

Schaefer leads all NHL defensemen with seven goals, one more than Colorado’s Cale Makar, who he’ll go up against on Sunday for the first time.

ROAD WARRIORS

The Isles won their last five road games, including all four on the current trip.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Bo Horvat leads the Islanders with 23 points (12G, 11A). With the secondary assist on Schaefer’s OT winner, Horvat extended his point streak to eight games with 12 points (6G, 6A) over that span.

Barzal is riding a six-game point streak with six points (2G, 4A) over that span.

BEASTS OF THE EAST AND WEST

The Islanders and the Avalanche are the top teams in the NHL since Oct. 16, each recording 22 points over that span.

FAMILIAR FACES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE

Former Islander Brock Nelson will skate against his former team for the first time in his career on Sunday. Nelson’s 901 games played for the Isles rank fifth in franchise history and his 295 goals also rank fifth.

Nelson has seven points (4G, 3A) and a plus-nine rating through 18 games with Colorado this season.

Cal Ritchie, who was acquired by the Islanders for Nelson, will skate against his former team. The 20-year-old forward played his first seven NHL games for the Avs last season and scored his first NHL goal against the Islanders.

DROUIN TO FACE FORMER TEAM

Jonathan Drouin is bringing a three-game point streak (1G, 5A) into Sunday’s contest where he’ll face his former team for the first time as an Islander.

The winger totaled 93 points (30G, 63A) and 31 power-play points over the course of two seasons with the Avalanche before he signed with the Islanders over the offseason. Drouin has 14 points (3G, 11A), including three power-play points - through his first 17 games as an Islander.

ACROSS THE ICE

The Avalanche are dominating the Western Conference with a record of 12-1-5. Colorado is surging with five straight wins and are riding a nine-game point streak (7-0-2).

The Avalanche have not lost a game on home ice (6-0-2), but the Isles have had success against teams with strong home records. They tarnished the Devils’ 7-0-0 record at Prudential Center with a 3-2 OT win on Monday, while they took down a Utah Mammoth team that entered Friday’s contest with a 5-0-1 home record.

Nathan MacKinnon towers the NHL with 33 points (14G, 19A). He also leads the league with a plus-18 rating and 82 shots. MacKinnon has 14 points (4G, 10A) in his last five games.

Scott Wedgewood is the expected starter for the Avalanche on Sunday, per Head Coach Jared Bednar. The 33-year-old netminder’s 10 wins lead the NHL as he carried the Avalanche as Mackenzie Blackwood finished recovering from an offseason procedure that kept him out of the lineup through the month of October. Wedgewood, 33, is 1-2-3 against the Islanders in his career with a .915 SV%, a 2.60 GAA and one shutout. Wedgewood signed a one-year contract extension with the Avs on Thursday.