Game Preview: Islanders vs Avalanche

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (7-5-1) VS COLORADO AVALANCHE (8-5-0)
6 P.M. BARCLAYS CENTER - BUY TICKETS
TV: MSG+, MSG GO
RADIO: 88.7FM - WRHU, AM970 - The Answer, 103.9FM - LI News
GAME NOTES
After playing well, but dropping a 4-3 decision to the Washington Capitals on Thursday, the Islanders look to get back on track against the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday night at Barclays Center.
Home ice has been an advantage for the Islanders, who are 4-0-1 at home this season and especially vs Western Conference teams. The Islanders are 24-4-4 all-time against the Western Conference at Barclays Center. The Islanders have won three straight home games vs Colorado by a combined 16-4 score.

LINEUP NOTES:

Thomas Greiss is the likely starter for the Islanders, according to Head Coach Doug Weight. Greiss is making his first start in four games, as Jaroslav Halak played three consecutive games. Greiss' last game was on Oct. 26 against Minnesota and the Islanders goalie is 2-2-1 this season.
ISLANDERS PROJECTED LINES:

HOCKEY FIGHTS CANCER NIGHT:

The Islanders are hosting Hockey Fights Cancer night on Sunday. Hockey Fights Cancer Night is part of the NHL's Hockey Fights Cancer initiative to raise money and awareness for cancer research and Sunday's game will include a ceremonial puck drop with young children currently in the middle of their cancer battles. The Islanders will also wear lavender warmup jerseys that have already been auctioned off.
Buy tickets with this link and help support Stand Up To Cancer.

PELECH SKATES:

Adam Pelech practiced with the Islanders on Saturday, but his status for Sunday's game is to be determined. Pelech missed Thursday's Islanders-Capitals game with an upper-body injury, but Weight said it's not serious and the defenseman will be back sooner rather than later.

"He's obviously has an injury that's day-to-day," Weight said. "I think he's close. I don't think he was ever going to be too long, but I'll have to see if he'll be available tomorrow. But he looked pretty good and it's a great sign that he's out there."

BY THE NUMBERS:

8 - game point streak for Josh Bailey.Bailey's career-long streak is also the longest active streak in the NHL. The Islanders forward now has 13 points (2G, 11A) in his last eight contests. Bailey is tied for 11th in NHL scoring with 16 points (3G, 13A).
7 - game point streak for Anders Lee.Lee now has 13 points (6G, 7A) on his seven-game run, which is also a career-long.
10 - goals in six games for John Tavares.The Islanders captain is on fire and has vaulted up the NHL goal-scoring leaderboard. As of Saturday afternoon, Tavares second in the NHL in goals (12) and is two back of Tampa's Nikita Kucherov for the league lead. Tavares' 17 points is tied for seventh in the NHL.
Overall the Islanders have three of the NHL's top 25 scorers in Tavares, Bailey and Lee.

THE OPPOSITION:

The Avalanche went with 11 forwards and seven defensemen on Saturday night against the Philadelphia Flyers, as Rocco Grimaldi and Matt Nieto were out with sickness. It's unclear if Gimaldo and Nieto will be back in the lineup for Sunday's game.
Jonathan Bernier will start against the Islanders on Sunday, as Semyon Varlamov played on Saturday night in Philadelphia. Bernier is 2-2-0 with a 3.03 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage to start the season.
Mikko Rantanen (5G 7A), Nathan McKinnon (3G 9A) and Tyson Barrie (2G 10A) lead the Avalanche with 12 points apiece.
AVALANCHE PROJECTED LINES:
| FORWARDS | | --- | | LEFT WING | CENTER | RIGHT WING | | GABRIEL LANDESKOG | NATHAN MACKINNON | MIKKO RANTANEN | | SVEN ANDRIGHETTO | MATT DUCHENE | NAIL YAKUPOV | | GABRIEL BOURQUE | CARL SODERBERG | BLAKE COMEAU | | A.J. GREER | ALEXANDER KERFOOT | |

| DEFENSE | | --- | | MARK BARBERIO | ERIK JOHNSON | | PATRIK NEMETH | TYSON BARRIE | | NIKITA ZADOROV | ANTON LINDHOLM | | ANDREI MIRONOV | |