Game Preview: Islanders at Canadiens

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (18-5-2) AT MONTREAL CANADIENS (11-10-6)
7 PM | CENTRE BELL
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LISTEN: 88.7FM | 103.9FM | 1050AM
The New York Islanders bring a two-game winning streak into la belle province, as they get set to take on the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night.
The Isles are fresh off a 4-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Monday night and a 2-0 shutout over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday. Suddenly, the Isles 0-2-1 California trip feels approximately 3,000 miles away.
To extend their streak, the Isles will have to go through a hungry Canadiens team, who are currently embroiled in an eight-game winless streak (0-5-3).

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ISLES NOTES:

• The Isles toppled the Red Wings in the first half of their back-to-back set. Jordan Eberle scored twice, while Anders Lee and Anthony Beauvillier found the back of the net. Semyon Varlamov made 30 saves in the win.
  - Eberle scored his first goal of the season on Monday night, potting a power-play goal off a rebound at the side of the net. Eberle's goal snapped a 14-game drought to start the season.
  "It's all about confidence," Head Coach Barry Trotz said of Eberle. "Getting a couple of goals today is great for his confidence and we know how good of a player he is and how he can help us."
  - Lee is riding a two-game scoring streak after snapping an 11-game goal drought on Saturday night. The Islanders' captain has 13 points (7G, 6A) in 25 games this season.
  MORE COVERAGE
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  Notes: Isles Clip Wings 4-1
  Prospect Report: Dec. 2, 2019
  Third Jersey Schedule: December
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  Highlights: NYI 4, DET 1
  - Ryan Pulock recorded three assists in Monday's win. Pulock now leads Islanders defensemen with 13 points (3G, 10A) in 25 games.
  - With the win, the Islanders picked up their 18th win of the season, which ties the club record (1978-79) for most wins in the first 25 games.
  - The Islanders are 14-0-1 in their last 15 games against the Eastern Conference and have won eight straight against the Atlantic Division.
  - Thomas Greiss will start in goal for the Islanders on Tuesday night. Greiss last started on Saturday night, but pulled himself from the game after experiencing dizziness 14 minutes in. While Semyon Varlamov finished Saturday's game, Greiss was the goalie of record, as he left the game with the Islanders up 1-0. Greiss is good to go, per Head Coach Barry Trotz. This season Greiss is 10-2-0 with a 2.10 GAA and a .931 SV%.
  - Tuesday's game will also mark the 26th straight game the Islanders have alternated goalies to start the season, a franchise record.
  - The Islanders are wrapping up a back-to-back set on Tuesday, while the Canadiens are rested. They are 1-0-0 in games where they played the night before and their opponents did not.

CANADIENS NOTES:

• The Canadiens are on an eight-game winless streak and are 0-5-3 over that span. Montreal's last win came on Nov. 15 in a 5-2 victory over Washington.
  - Most recently, the Canadiens suffered a 3-1 loss to the Boston Bruins. Joel Armia scored the Habs lone goal, but the Bruins rallied for three unanswered in the third period.
  - Tomas Tatar leads the Canadiens in assists (15) and points (24) this season. Brendan Gallagher and Armia lead the Habs with 10 goals apiece.
  - The Canadiens recalled goaltender Cayden Primeau and forward Matthew Peca from the AHL's Laval Rocket on Monday afternoon. Keith Kinkaid was placed on waivers in a corresponding move.
  - Carey Price is 10-9-3 this season for the Canadiens, with a 3.18 GAA, a .898 SV% and one shutout. Price has never finished a season with a save percentage below .900 in his 12-year career. Price is 0-5-1 in his last six starts.
  - Defenseman Victor Mete suffered an ankle injury on Saturday and will be out at least two weeks.
  - Jonathan Drouin has been out since Nov. 15 with a wrist injury. Drouin had 15 points (7G, 8A) in 19 games prior to getting hurt.
  - Montreal has the NHL's 30th-ranked penalty kill going 60-for-82 this season.

ISLES VS CANADIENS:

Tuesday marks the first meeting between the teams this season. The Isles went 1-1-1 against the Canadiens last season, losing 4-3 in a shootout in Brooklyn on Nov. 5, winning 2-1 at Nassau Coliseum on March 14 and losing 4-0 in Montreal on March 21.
The Isles are 1-3-1 in their last five games vs the Canadiens and have dropped the last two at the Bell Centre.