ISLANDERS NOTES
- Adam Pelech (LTIR, upper-body) joined the team for practice on Friday and Head Coach Lambert said he’s making positive steps through more intense skates. The veteran defenseman has not played in a game since Nov. 24.
“There was more physicality to [today’s practice], that definitely helps,” Lambert said on Friday. “He’s closing in and we’ll see where we go from here.”
- Mathew Barzal was named as the Islanders representative 2024 NHL All-Star Weekend for the third time in his career. Barzal is averaging over a point-per-game this season with 39 points (10G, 29A) through 37 games. Barzal recorded his 400th and 401st career points with a pair of assists against the Coyotes.
- Bo Horvat netted his team-leading sixth power play goal of the season on Thursday night against the Coyotes.
- Brock Nelson leads the Islanders with 17 goals. He notched an assist in Thursday’s 4-1 win, contributing to the quirky stat that the Islanders are undefeated in regulation when he records an assist (11-0-3). Two important milestones are coming up for the veteran center, as Nelson is five points shy of his 500th point in the NHL. Nelson is four games away from his 800th NHL game, which is expected to be against Nashville on Jan. 13.
- Noah Dobson notched two assists on Thursday to catch up to a point-per-game pace, with six goals and 32 assists through 38 games this season. Dobson's +19 rating ranks seventh in the NHL among all players and his 38 points rank fourth among all defensemen.
- Mike Reilly scored in Thursday’s contest while matching a career-high six shots on goal.
- The Islanders collected the most points and sport the best record in the Eastern Conference since Nov. 15, going 13-4-7 over that span with a .688 points percentage.
GOLDEN KNIGHTS NOTES
- The defending Stanley Cup champions are going through a bit of a slump as of late, winning just one game in their last seven and going 3-7-0 in their last 10. Their strong start to the season allowed them to remain towards the top of the standings, as the Golden Knights are in a playoff position with the second-place spot in the Pacific Division. Vegas is two points behind the first-place Canucks, though Vancouver has one game in-hand.
- Jack Eichel leads the team in points overall (40) with 16 goals and 24 assists. The forward was selected as the Golden Knights representative to the NHL All-Star Weekend, marking his fourth career appearance and first as a member of the Golden Knights. Eichel leads the NHL with 46 takeaways, just two more than fellow 2024 All-Star Mathew Barzal, who ranks second in the league in takeaways (44).
- Jonathan Marchessault leads the team with 17 goals, while Mark Stone is the team leader in assists (26).
- The Golden Knights have claimed Tobias Bjornfot off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday. The 22-year-old defenseman spent parts of five seasons with the Los Angeles Kings organization, playing one game for the NHL club this season prior to being claimed by Vegas. He did not play in Thursday's matchup against the Panthers, meaning he could make his debut with Vegas against the Islanders on Saturday.
- Adin Hill skated with the team during Friday’s practice in a positive step toward returning. The netminder has been out since Dec. 17 with an undisclosed injury. He has a 10-2-2 record, 1.93 GAA and .933 save percentage in 15 contests this season prior to injury.
- William Karlsson (lower-body) was placed on the team’s IR list on Thursday and will not face the Islanders on Saturday. The 30-year-old center is having a solid season with Vegas, racking up 32 points (15G, 17A) through 38 games.
