Game Preview: Islanders at Devils

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (26-12-3) AT NEW JERSEY DEVILS (15-20-6)
7PM | PRUDENTIAL CENTER
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Semyon Varlamov turned aside 32 shots against his former club as the Islanders shut out the Colorado Avalanche 1-0 on Monday night. Anders Lee scored the game-winning goal as the bounced back after two straight losses.
The Devils are coming off a 5-2 loss to Colorado on Saturday night. Blake Coleman scored shorthanded and Jesper Boqvist scored on the power play while Mackenzie Blackwood made 29 saves.

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MORNING SKATE UPDATES:

(New Jersey updates courtesy of NewJerseyDevils.com)
- Mackenzie Blackwood will start between the pipes for New Jersey. Blackwood will make his 30th start of the season.
- Neither Jack Hughes (upper-body injury) nor Jesper Bratt (lower-body injury)will play tonight.
- Devils lines and defensive pairs at morning skate:
Simmonds - Hischier - Palmieri
Coleman - Zajac - Gusev
Boqvist - Zacha - Wood
Street - Rooney - Hayden
Greene - Subban
Severson - Vatanen
Butcher - Mueller
Blackwood

Video: Barry Trotz Isles Devils media scrum

ISLES NOTES:

• Lee scored his 12th goal of the season. The Isles captain has 24 points (12G, 12A) through 41 games this season.
  - Devon Toews assisted on Lees goal to snap a 10-game pointless streak. The defenseman has 13 points (3G, 10A) through 40 games this season.
  - Dal Colle also assisted on Lee's goal. The winger drew back into the lineup for the second-straight game after being a healthy scratch for three games. Through 29 games this season, Dal Colle has four points (2G, 2A).
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  - Semyon Varlamov made his fifth-straight start - the most consecutive starts made between him or Thomas Greiss - and his 23rd start of the season. With the shutout Varlamov improved his record to 15-5-3. The Russian netminder has a 2.30 goals against average and a save percentage of .924.
  - Noah Dobson drew in the lineup for the second-straight game in place of Adam Pelech who is out with an Achilles tendon injury. Dobson logged 10:51 time on ice, had one hit and one block.
  - Sebastian Aho was recalled from Bridgeport Sound Tigers on Friday and has not suited up yet. The 23-year-old Swede has played in 22-career NHL games and has four NHL points (1G, 3A). Aho has 20 points (2G, 18A) in 34 games with the Sound Tigers this season.
  - Thomas Greiss is expected to start against the Devils. Greiss has made 18 starts this season and has a record of 11-7-0, a 2.58 GAA and a .919 SV%.
  - The Isles penalty kill went 2-for-2 against the Avs. The Islanders PK is tied for 10th overall in the NHL at 81.5%.

DEVILS NOTES:

• Coleman scored his 13th goal of the season. Through 41 games this season, the centerman has 21 points (13G, 8A).
  - Boqvist scored his fourth goal of the season and first power play goal of the season. Through 27 games, the 21-year-old Swedish center has four points.
  - Blackwood made his 29th start of the season and improved his record to 14-11-5. Blackwood has a 2.83 goals against average and a .908 save percentage.
  - The Devils power play went 1-for-3 against the Avs. In the NHL, New Jersey's power play is ranked 30th overall with a conversion of 14.4%.
  - The Devils penalty kill went 3-for-3 against the Avs. Overall in the NHL, the Devils PK is ranked 19th overall at 80.5%.
  - The Devils have won four of their last six games, two of which were decided in a shootout or overtime.
  - Kyle Palmieri leads the Devils in points (28) and scoring (15). Nikita Gusev and Sami Vatanen are tied for a team-high 17 assists.
  - Jesper Bratt and Jack Hughes did not join the team for practice on Monday morning. Hughes has been sidelined since Dec. 31 with an upper-body injury while Bratt took a shot to the foot against the Islanders on Jan. 2

ISLES VS. DEVILS:

The Islanders and Devils last met less than a week ago on Jan. 2 when the Devils claimed a 2-1 victory. Brock Nelson scored for the Isles while P.K. Subban and Nico Hischier scored for the Devils. Semyon Varlamov made 29 saves.
Last season, the Isles swept the season series as they won both home games during regulation and both games in New Jersey in overtime/shootout. The Isles are 11-5-0 in their last 16 games against the Devils.