Game Preview: Islanders at Blackhawks

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (19-15-10) AT CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS (13-30-2)

8:30 PM ET | UNITED CENTER

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The New York Islanders wrap up their four-game Central Division road trip when they take on the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night at United Center.

The Islanders dropped a 4-2 decision  against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday in the second half of a back-to-back set. Anders Lee potted both goals for the Islanders, while Ilya Sorokin made 40 saves in the loss. After a 5-0 loss to the Wild on Monday night, the Islanders had a better effort against Winnipeg  but are looking to fully bounce back against Chicago and get their first win of the trip.

“We were winning battles and taking strides after the Minnesota game to make sure we had an answer,” Hudson Fasching said after Thursday’s practice. “We had some bad breaks in that game, so we’re looking to find our identity to carry momentum into Friday.”

The Blackhawks are coming off a 3-0 shutout loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night. The game was initially supposed to be played on Wednesday, but a snowstorm in Western New York caused the game to be postponed one day. That means the Blackhawks will be playing the Isles on the second half of a back-to-back set.

Friday’s tilt will open the season series between the two teams. The Islanders went 2-0-0 against Chicago last season, including a 3-0 shutout on Dec. 4, 2022.

MORNING SKATE UPDATES

- Ilya Sorokin is the expected starter for the Islanders, which would mark a career-long 13th consecutive appearance. Sorokin has a record of 13-11-8 this season, along with a .910 SV%, a 3.18 GAA and two shutouts. Through two career games against the Blackhawks, Sorokin is 2-0-0 with a .968 SV%.

- Head Coach Lane Lambert said on Friday that Semyon Varlamov (IR, lower-body) has resumed skating daily. 

- Petr Mrazek is the expected starter on Friday night, as Arvid Soderblom played on Thursday night in Buffalo. Mrazek is 11-16-1 this season with a 3.04 GAA and a .907 SV%. The veteran goalie is 8-5-2 lifetime against the Islanders with a 2.95 GAA and an .894 SV% in those games.

ISLANDERS NOTES:

- Casey Cizikas (lower body) was placed on IR on Wednesday retroactive to Jan. 9.He has missed four games.

- Kyle MacLean joined the team for Thursday’s practice in Chicago after he was recalled from the Bridgeport Islanders on Wednesday. He will make his NHL debut if he plays against Chicago on Friday.

"It's pretty special. I'm extremely excited and happy to be here," MacLean said. "It's cool for the first time, so I'm excited and just looking forward to tomorrow night."

MacLean, the son of Islanders Assistant Coach John MacLean, collected 19 points (6G, 13A) through 36 games in his fourth season with Bridgeport. Head Coach Lane Lamert said the 24-year-old center has attributes that the team needs in Cizikas’ absence.

“He plays hard, he’s got speed and he can kill penalties,” Lambert said of MacLean. “He fits pretty well in that center spot.”

- Pierre Engvall (day-to-day, upper-body) did not participate in Thursday’s practice after he missed Tuesday’s game against the Jets. Engvall has 14 points (5G, 9A) through 41 games this season.

- Ilya Sorokin made his 12^th consecutive appearance on Tuesday, establishing a new career-long and turning aside 40 of 43 shots against the Jets. The netminder has been carrying a heavy workload this season, facing an NHL-high 1,108 shots.

BLACKHAWKS NOTES:

- The Blackhawks are 13-30-2 this season, sitting last in the Central Division, and second last in both the Western Conference and the NHL. Chicago averages the second-fewest goals per game (2.18) and allow the fourth-most (3.58).

- Connor Bedard will not play against the Islanders on Friday night, as the 2023 first-overall pick suffered a broken jaw on Jan. 5 against the New Jersey Devils and will miss six-to-eight weeks. Bedard leads the Blackhawks – and all NHL rookies – with 33 points (15G, 18A) in 39 games.

- Nick Foligno suffered a fractured finger on the same night Bedard suffered his injury, so the veteran forward will also miss Friday’s game against the Islanders. Foligno signed a two-year contract extension on Jan. 12.

- Jason Dickinson signed a two-year extension on Jan. 16. He is third on the Blackhawks with 21 points (14G, 7A) in 45 games this season. Dickinson’s 14 goals are a career-high.

- Former Islanders forward Anthony Beauvillier was acquired by the Blackhawks from the Vancouver Canucks on Nov. 28. Beauvillier had six points (2G, 4A) in 15 games with Chicago, but suffered a wrist injury on Jan. 2 and has been out since.