Game Preview: Islanders at Flames

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (22-16-2) AT CALGARY FLAMES (18-14-7)
9 PM ET | SCOTIABANK SADDLEDOME
WATCH: MSGSN | MSGGO | ESPN+
LISTEN: 88.7FM | 103.9FM | 1050 AM
The New York Islanders wrap up their Western Conference road trip with a visit to Calgary to face the Flames on Friday night at Scotiabank Saddledome. It's the second half of a back-to-back set for New York.
The New York Islanders lost 4-2 against Edmonton on Thursday night, falling behind early in the game, unable to complete the comeback. Mat Barzal and Cal Clutterbuck had goals in the loss, with Clutterbuck hitting the scoresheet in his return to action after missing eight straight games. Barzal scored his sixth goal over his past five games, with eight points in that span.

The Flames lost 3-2 to the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night to knot their season series at one apiece. Nikita Zadorov and Mikael Backlund scored for Calgary to keep the score tied at two, but Winnipeg's Sam Gagner scored the game winner late in the third frame. Jacob Markstrom made 32 saves in the loss.
The Islanders defeated the Flames in thrilling fashion the last time the two teams crossed paths, winning 4-3 in OT at UBS Arena on Nov. 7. Anders Lee and Kyle Palmieri scored in the third period to force overtime, while Noah Dobson finished the job with a PPG game-winner in the extra frame. Mat Barzal contributed with a three-point performance (3A) in the victory.

ISLANDERS NOTES:

• Cal Clutterbuck was activated off IR, the team announced on Thursday, after he missed eight games with an upper-body injury. Clutterbuck scored in his first game back in the second frame of the 4-2 loss to the Oilers.
  - Mat Barzal also found the back of the net on Thursday, extending his career-long goal streak to five games. The 25-year-old center now has eight points (6G, 2A) in his last five outings.
  - Dobson played in his 200th NHL on Thursday night, taking three shots and leading his team with 22:12 TOI.
  "His confidence has grown over those 200 games," Head Coach Lane Lambert said of the young defenseman. "He's blossoming into an elite NHL defenseman offensively for sure."
  - Semyon Varlamov is the projected starting goaltender in Friday's matchup with the Flames after being activated on Monday and the Islanders tendency to alternate netminders on back to backs. Varlamov has been out since Dec. 17 and is 8-3-1 this season with a 2.65 GAA, a .919 SV% and one shutout.
  - Despite Thursday's loss, the Islanders (46 points) are still in playoff position with the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Pittsburgh Penguins (44 points) are back two points, but have two games in-hand.
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  - Brock Nelson was announced as the selected player to represent the Islanders at the 2023 NHL All Star weekend, making the center an all-star for the first time in his career. Nelson leads the Islanders in goals (15) and game winning goals (5).
  "It's a great honor for him," Noah Dobson said of his teammate. "I'm sure he's really excited, and we're all really happy for him."

FLAMES NOTES:

• The Flames had two days off following Tuesday's 3-2 loss against the Jets, and will hit the road for a five-game road stretch after hosting the Islanders on Thursday.
  - The Flames hold the second wild card spot in the Western Conference with 43 points, with a two-point advantage over the Colorado Avalanche and the St. Louis Blues, both clubs on the doorstep of a playoff spot at 41 points apiece.
  - Calgary is 11-7-2 on home ice and 7-7-5 on the road.
  - Elias Lindholm leads his team in assists (23) and points overall (35) in his fifth season on the Flames.
  - Including Tuesday's narrow 3-2 loss to the Jets, the Flames have been involved in a league-high 24 one-goal decisions this season. In those tight contests, Calgary is 10-7-7. "We've played a lot of close games this year," Head Coach Darryl Sutter said following the loss. "You need one of your big scorers to step up and make a play."
  - Nazem Kadri will represent the Flames in the NHL All Star Weekend. The 32-year-old forward has 29 points (14G, 15A) in his sole season with Calgary.