Game Preview: Islanders at Blackhawks

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (5-4-0) AT CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS (4-3-2)
8:30 PM (EST) | UNITED CENTER
WATCH: MSGSN | MSGGO | ESPN+
LISTEN: 88.7FM | 103.9FM | ESPN APP
The New York Islanders kick off a three-game road trip in the Windy City when they take on the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. at United Center.
The Islanders come into Tuesday's game riding a three-game win streak, their most recent being a thrilling 5-4 comeback victory against the Colorado Avalanche. The Islanders also defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 6-2 and the New York Rangers 3-0.

"We have that feeling that we can beat anybody," Mathew Barzal said. "When we were in the playoffs, we felt that in any situation, we could win. In that game the other night, being down three and coming back and winning, it felt like we found that again."
The Blackhawks (4-3-2) are on a two-game winless streak, having lost to the Buffalo Sabres in overtime and the Minnesota Wild in a shootout, but earned points in both games.
They are the first opponent of the Islanders' coming three game road swing, also featuring games against the St. Louis Blues and the Detroit Red Wings.
"Every team is playing very well right now that we're going to play," Head Coach Lane Lambert said of the coming road trip. "Each game is different, a bit of a different entity, and each opponent plays the game just a little bit differently, but every game is a challenge. There's no question it's a big road trip for us and we're just looking forward to continuing to try and build on our game."

ISLANDERS NOTES:

MORNING SKATE UPDATE:Ross Johnston will draw into the lineup for Matt Martin on Tuesday. Martin is expected to join the team later on the team's road trip.
- The Islanders lead the league in goals scored by defensemen with nine, and are second in the league in points scored by defensemen, with 23.
- Mathew Barzal now has 10 assists in his first nine games. Per statistician Eric Hornick Barzal is the first Islander since Vladimir Malakhov (1993-94; 11 assists) with at least 10 helpers in the Islanders' first nine games. Barzal leads the Islanders in scoring with 10 points, all assists.
- Per Hornick, the Islanders' 3-0 comeback was the first three goal comeback for the team since Nov. 11, 2019 against the Philadelphia Flyers. It was the first comeback at home since Feb. 8, 2018 against the Detroit Red Wings, and the first one they won in regulation since March. 10, 2014 against the Vancouver Canucks. The win was the first three-goal comeback in regulation at home in 38 years, with the last one coming on Oct. 23, 1984, also against the Canucks.
ISLES AT BLACKHAWKS
ISLANDERS ARTICLES
Questions and Isles: Halloween Costumes
Prospect Report: Oct. 31
Frans Nielsen: Sultan of Shootout
Talkin' Isles: Micheal Haley
Potvin Socks
ISLES VIDEO
Lambert Pregame
Clutterbuck Pregame
Parise Pregame
Lee Pregame
GAME EXTRAS
Talkin' Isles
Reverse Retro
Isles Season Tickets
- Brock Nelson scored three goals in two games after going goalless in his first six games. Nelson scored two straight goals in the third period against the Carolina Hurricanes, both from the right circle on feeds from across the zone. His empty-netter against the Avalanche ended up as the game-winner. Nelson led the team in goals last year with 37, and is now tied for second on the team in goals with three.
- Matt Martin will play his 695th game as an Islander, passing Pat Flatley for ninth in Islanders history. Casey Cizikas will play his 674th game as an Islander, tying him with Billy Smith for the 12th most games played in Islander history. Anders Lee will tie Frans Nielsen for 18th with 606 games played, and Cal Clutterbuck will tie Gary Howatt for 21st with 596 games played.
- The Islanders' perfect penalty kill streak was broken at 28 against the Avalanche on Saturday after they had a 2-for-3 outing. The Islanders still have the best penalty kill in the league, killing 96.7 percent.

BLACKHAWKS NOTES:

• The Blackhawks lost star defenseman Seth Jones to a thumb injury on Saturday in a game against the Buffalo Sabres. General Manager Kyle Davidson announced Jones will be out for the next three to four weeks, missing Tuesday's game against the Islanders. Jones averages 25:12 TOI per game, sixth in the NHL, and has four points, all assists, in eight games this year.
  - The Blackhawks traded for Jason Dickinson from the Vancouver Canucks on Oct. 7. Dickinson's started the season hot, with six points (3G, 3A) in seven games so far this year. Dickinson had 11 points (5G, 6A) in 62 games with the Vancouver Canucks last season.
  - Captain Jonathan Toews is on a five-game point streak, with three goals and two assists in his last five games. Toews has seven points (5G, 2A) in nine games so far this year. Toews has 16 points (6G, 10A) in 19 career games against the Islanders.
  - Patrick Kane leads the Blackhawks in scoring with nine points (2G, 7A) in nine games this year. Kane has 23 points (11G, 12A) in 19 career games against the Islanders.
  - The Blackhawks had an active offseason, trading leading goal scorer Alex DeBrincat to the Ottawa Senators, and leaving Dylan Strome, who was fourth on the team in points with 48 points (22G, 26A) in 69 games as an unrestricted free agent.
  - The Blackhawks added Max Domi as an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Domi has seven points (4G, 3A) in nine games so far this year. They also signed Alex Stalock, who's played in six games for the Blackhawks this year and posted a .916 save percentage and a 2.95 GAA.