Game Preview: Islanders at Rangers

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (4-4-2) AT NEW YORK RANGERS (4-4-2)
7PM | MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
WATCH: MSG+ | MSG GO | NBCSN | NHL.TV
LISTEN: 88.7FM | 103.9FM | 1050AM
The New York Islanders were starving for a win before Saturday's 4-3 triumph over the Pittsburgh Penguins, but they're far from full, as they take on the New York Rangers on Monday night.
The Islanders snapped a five-game winless streak with a comeback win on Saturday and are looking to make it two-in-a-row when they visit their crosstown rivals for the third time this season. Overall, the Islanders are on a three-game point streak (1-0-2).

"We're looking to start and build some momentum here," Cal Clutterbuck said. "We're trying to build on our game and put a couple together and just go out there and play the way we need to play in order to be successful. We know who we are and we just need to trust each other, trust our instincts, move our feet and take what is given."
Jordan Eberle scored a pair of first-period goals in the win over the Penguins, while Clutterbuck scored the tying goal in the third before Anders Lee capped it with the game-winner. Semyon Varlamov made 28 saves to win his 500th career game.
Their attention turns quickly to an important game vs the Blueshirts, as both the Islanders and Rangers are looking to make up ground in a gridlocked East Division. The Islanders, Rangers and Sabres all boast identical 4-4-2 records and one point separates fourth-placed Pittsburgh (11 points) from eighth-placed Buffalo (10 points).
The Islanders are 1-1-0 against the Rangers this season, winning 4-0 in their season opener, before falling 5-0 in the rematch. The 5-0 loss, which started with a freak Varlamov injury in warmups, is something the Islanders are looking to rectify.
"Whoever doesn't show up is in trouble," Casey Cizikas said. "We played really well in the first game and they came out with a little bit of fire and kind of took it to us and we didn't really have a response. We left Ilya [Sorokin] out to dry and that's kind of in the back of our minds. We want redemption for that game and to come out and continue this good feeling we have right now."

ISLANDERS NOTES:

UPDATE: Semyon Varlamov will start in net. Barry Trotz said he's leaning towards a similar, if not the same, lineup from Saturday.
- Michael Dal Colle had a pair of assists in Saturday's win, marking his first-career multi-point game. Dal Colle played alongside Brock Nelson and Jordan Eberle in the win, earning praise from Head Coach Barry Trotz and his teammates for his work ethic.
"He created that energy, he created those goals along with Brock Nelson and Jordan Eberle], they really lit that fire for our team when we needed that jump," Anders Lee said. "He's coming into this lineup with a ton of work ethic that he's always carried with himself. It's great to see him get rewarded with points."
Dal Colle has two assists in three games this season.
**ISLANDERS AT RANGERS**
**ISLANDERS ARTICLES**
[5 Takeaways: Isles 4, Pens 3
Isles Games Rescheduled
ISLANDERS VIDEO
Isles-Pens Recap
Trotz Availability: 2/7
Cizikas Availability: 2/7
Clutterbuck Availability: 2/7
GAME EXTRAS
Islanders Silent Auction
Buy Fan Cutouts
Fan Cutout Gallery
Mental Health Resources
- Semyon Varlamov improved to 4-2-1 with the win, snapping a personal three-game winless streak. Varlamov was solid when he needed to be, coming up with some highlight-reel stops on Sidney Crosby. Playing in his 500th game, the usually-guarded Russian let on what the milestone meant to him, thanking all of his coaches, trainers and everyone who helped him get to, stick in and thrive in the NHL.
"It's a pretty big achievement for me especially and my family," Varlamov said of his 500th game. "I want to say thank you to all of the coaches and all the trainers who have been a part of 500 games."
Varlamov is 1-0-0 against the Rangers this season, stopping 24 shots in a season-opening shutout.
- Brock Nelson recorded his 299th career point on Saturday and is one shy of 300. Only 21 players have recorded 300 points as an Islander.
- Barry Trotz tied Ken Hitchcock for third on the NHL's all-time wins list on Saturday. His next win would put him in sole possession of third on the NHL's all-time list. Florida Panthers Head Coach Joel Quenneville is second all-time with 931 wins.
"To be in the same breath as those guys like Hitch and people like that, it's sort of humbling when I think about it," Trotz said. "But it really doesn't mean anything, just that I've been around for a long time."
- Mathew Barzal is riding a five-game point streak with seven points (2G, 5A) over that span. Barzal leads the team in assists (7) and points (11) this season. Barzal has been in on 11 of the Islanders 23 goals this season.

Video: NYI vs NYR 2/8: Barry Trotz

RANGERS NOTES:

• The Rangers are riding a three-game point streak, going 3-0-1 over that span. The Rangers have won two straight, beating Pittsburgh 3-1 on Feb. 1 and Washington 4-2 on Feb. 4. The Rangers-Devils game that was originally scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 6 was postponed until Mar. 4.
  - The Rangers have not announced a starting goaltender for Monday's game. Igor Shesterkin has won three straight starts, allowing two goals or fewer in each contest, but backup Alexandar Georgiev has had the Islanders number of late. Georgiev is 6-2-0 all-time vs the Islanders, with a 1.80 GAA, .941 SV% and two shutouts, including one this season.
  Georgiev has won two straight games vs the Islanders. He is 1-2-1 with a 3.27 GAA and a .886 SV% in four games this season.
  - Artemi Panarin leads the Rangers in goals (5), assists (10) and points (15). Panarin is riding a four-game point streak with nine points (3G, 6A) over that span.
  - The Rangers are the NHL's 30th-ranked faceoff team with a 41.8 FOW%. Brett Howden leads the team with a 49.5 FOW%. Mika Zibanejad has taken the most draws (203) and has a 44.3 FOW%.
  - The Rangers will be without Tony DeAngelo for Monday's contest, as the defenseman was placed on waivers on Jan. 31 following an incident after the Rangers 5-4 OT loss on Jan. 30. With DeAngelo out, Island Park native Anthony Bitetto was recalled and has played the past two games for the Blueshirts. Bitetto played four-and-a-half years in the Nashville Predators organization, with stops in Minnesota and Winnipeg before signing with the Rangers this past offseason.