Game Preview: Islanders at Penguins

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (14-3-1) AT PITTSBURGH PENGUINS (11-7-2)
7PM | PPG PAINTS ARENA
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The New York Islanders are looking to match a franchise record on Tuesday night, as they look to extend their point streak to 15 games.
The Isles are 13-0-1 in their last 14 contests and a point against the Pittsburgh Penguins would tie the 1981-82 Islanders for the longest streak in team history. The Islanders are looking to exact a little revenge as well, as the Penguins are the only team to have beaten them on their current run.

MORNING SIKATE UPDATES:

• Semyon Varlamov was the first goalie off at morning skate and is the projected starter against the Penguins. Varlamov has a record of 6-2-1.
  - Matt Martin skated as an extra in line drills, but was taking drills on the blueline with Noah Dobson. Coach Trotz said Martin is, "really close," to a return, but does not appear ready to play just yet.
  - The Isles had full-attendance at morning skate (of all players not on IR).
  - Matt Murray was the first goaltender off at the Penguins skate and is projected to start against the Isles.

ISLANDERS NOTES:

• The Islanders are coming off of a 4-3 shootout win over Philadelphia on Nov. 16. The Isles rallied from a 3-0 deficit scoring three third period goals with two strikes from Anthony Beauvillier and a power-play goal from Mathew Barzal. Jordan Eberle and Barzal scored in the shootout while Thomas Greiss turned away 31 shots and denied Sean Couturier and Claude Giroux in the shootout.
  - With Saturday's win, the Isles extended their point streak to 14 games, which is the longest point streak in the Post-Cup era and one game shy of the club record.
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  - Beauvillier has four goals in his last two games with the Islanders. This season, the 22-year-old winger has (6G, 6A) through 12 points, marking his best start in his four-year NHL career.
  - Barzal leads the Isles with nine goals and 17 points. The 22-year-old center has a four-game point streak with six points (3G, 3A). His goal on Saturday was his second strike on the power play of the season.
  - Greiss recorded his seventh-straight win to improve to 8-1-0 this season. Greiss has a goals against average (GAA) of 1.98 and a .938 save percentage (SV%).
  - Otto Koivula made his NHL debut for the Islanders against the Flyers. The 21-year-old plays down the center and, on the wing, but centered the Isles third line alongside Michael Dal Colle and Ross Johnston. Koivula logged 7:14 time on ice and had two hits in his debut.
  - The Isles power play went 1-for-3 against the Flyers. The Isles' power play is ranked eighth in the NHL at 23.5%. The Isles have had the fewest amount of opportunities with the extra man with only 34 power plays this season.
  - The Isles PK went 2-for-3 against the Flyers and is ranked seventh in the leauge at 84.6%.
  - The Isles are tied with the Arizona Coyotes for the lowest goals against average in the NHL with a 2.33 GAA.
  - Matt Martin rejoined the Isles for his first full-contact practice since sustaining a lower-body injury that put the right winger on IR on Oct. 25 against Ottawa.
  - Casey Cizikas will play his 500th career NHL game on Tuesday night - all with the Islanders.

ISLES VS. PENS:

The Penguins got a taste of revenge over the Isles during their first meeting of the season on Nov. 7 at Barclays Center as the Pens halted the Isles 10-game winning streak. The Pens rallied a third period comeback to send the game into overtime where Bryan Rust scored the 4-3 game-winner 1:35 into extra time.
Casey Cizikas, Cal Clutterbuck (shorthanded) and Adam Pelech scored for the Isles. Jared McCann, Bryan Rust and Evgeni Malkin scored in regulation for the Pens. Semyon Varlamov turned away 35 shots.

PENGUINS NOTES:

• The Penguins routed the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-1 on Saturday night. The Pens scored one power-play goal from Jake Guentzel, one shorthanded goal from Bryan Rust and had two goals from Dominik Kahun, while Evgeni Malkin and Jared McCann also found the back of the net. Tristian Jarry made 32 saves and recorded his second win of the season.
  - Guentzel had two points (1G, 1A) against Toronto and leads the Pens in scoring with nine goals this season. The 25-year-old winger has had 16 points through 20 games.
  - Malkin scored his third goal of the season. After missing 11 games with a lower-body injury, Malkin returned to the lineup on Nov. 2 and has registered six points (2G, 4A) in six games.
  - The Pens power play went 1-for-1 against Toronto. Across the NHL, the Penguins power play is ranked 14th with a conversion percentage of 14.5.
  - The Penguins penalty kill went 2-for-2 against the Maple Leafs. In the League, the Pens PK is ranked second-best at 89.1%.
  - Penguins captain Sidney Crosby was placed on IR on Nov. 14 after undergoing surgery for core muscle surgery. Crosby is expected to be out for a minimum of six weeks. Through 17 games this season, Crosby compiled a team-high 17 points and is the team-leader with his 12 assists.
  - Kris Letang is week-to-week with a lower-body injury that the defenseman sustained on Nov. 4. Patric Hornqvist was placed on IR on Nov. 3 with a lower-body injury. Nick Bjugstad missed the Pens game against Toronto after sustaining a lower-body injury during the game against New Jersey on Nov. 15.
  PENS LINES: (courstesy of Pens Inside Scoop)
  Guentzel-Malkin-Rust
  Kahun-McCann-Tanev
  Galchenyuk-Blandisi-Simon
  Aston-Reese-Blueger-Lafferty
  Dumoulin-Marino
  Pettersson-Schultz
  Johnson-Riikola