Game Preview: Islanders vs Blue Jackets

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (9-6-0) VS COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS (4-9-0)
7:30 PM | UBS ARENA | BUY TICKETS
HOCKEY FIGHTS CANCER NIGHT
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The New York Islanders are looking to rebound from a shutout loss to the Arizona Coyotes when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday against at UBS Arena.
The Blue Jackets enter Saturday's game coming off a 5-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, but they also lost star defenseman Zach Werenski for the season to injury. Thursday's win snapped a five-game losing streak for Columbus, including a pair of losses to the Colorado Avalanche in Finland during the 2022 NHL Global Series.

The Islanders have won seven of their last nine games, and will look to secure a crucial victory over a divisional opponent before they begin a four-game road trip.
"Obviously I don't think we're happy with the way we played," JG Pageau said after Friday's practice. "We know what we did wrong and we have the chance to correct it right away. So today's a new day and we had a good practice, a good sweat and we're ready to go."
The Isles went 3-0-1 in the series last season, winning the last three meetings. The Isles outscored Columbus 17-8, including 11-2 in the two games at UBS Arena. Since the start of 2018, the Isles are 9-3-1 in 13 games with Columbus.

ISLANDERS NOTES:

• The Islanders were shut out for the second time this season on Thursday. The shutout was the Islanders' first time being shut out by the Coyotes since their move to Arizona from Winnipeg. The defeat was the Islanders' first to a Western Conference team this season.
  - Cal Clutterbuck became the 19th Islander skater to appear in 600 games for the franchise on Thursday. He is the first to play 600 games with the team after debuting with another franchise.
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  - Jean-Gabriel Pageau won 18 of 23 draws against the Coyotes, just two games after winning 20 of 25 vs. Calgary. His recent success has raised his face-off percentage over 60% for the season and into the top ten in the NHL.
  - Against the Coyotes, the Islanders won at least 40 draws and at least 70% of the face-offs in the same game (40/57 70.2%) for the first time since winning 50 of 70 (71.4%) on December 21, 2001, at Madison Square Garden, per Eric Hornick. That is the only other time in the real time stats era this has happened.
  - Mathew Barzal has 11 assists in his last 10 games. He is tied for the team lead in scoring with 15 points, all assists.

BLUE JACKETS NOTES:

• The Blue Jackets lost Zach Werenski for the season on Nov. 10 after he suffered a torn labrum and separated shoulder against the Philadelphia Flyers. Werenski had eight points (3G, 5A) in 13 games this season, tied for second on the team in scoring.
  - Johnny Gaudreau signed with the Blue Jackets in free agency this offseason, leaving the Calgary Flames where he had spent eight seasons. Gaudreau leads the Blue Jackets in scoring with 12 points (6G, 6A) in 13 games after a three-point (1G, 2A) outing in his last game against the Flyers on Nov. 10.
  - The Blue Jackets also placed defenseman Nick Blankenburg on injured reserve with a fractured ankle on Nov. 11. He is expected to miss six-to-eight weeks. Sean Kuraly was also placed on injured reserve with an upper body injury and is considered day-to-day. Jakub Voracek was also placed on injured reserve with an upper body injury and will be out indefinitely.
  - David Jiriček, the Blue Jackets' 2022 first round pick (sixth overall), was called up on Nov. 10. Jiriček has played two games with the Blue Jackets so far this season and has five points, all assists, in six games with the AHL's Cleveland Monsters.
  - 2021 first round pick (fifth overall) Kent Johnson is in his first full season with the Blue Jackets. Johnson has six points (3G, 3A) in 11 games this season.
  - Columbus owns the league's 32nd ranked power play, going 2-for-35 on the season (5.7%).