Game Preview: Islanders vs Canucks

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (19-12-3) VS VANCOUVER CANUCKS (13-17-3)

7 PM | UBS ARENA | BUY TICKETS

WATCH/STREAM: MSGSN | GOTHAM SPORTS APP

LISTEN: 88.7FM | 103.9FM | ISLANDERS + UBS ARENA APP

The New York Islanders are looking for their sixth-straight home win, as they host the Vancouver Canucks on Friday night at UBS Arena.

The Islanders are coming off a 3-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, snapping a three-game winning streak. Emil Heineman and Scott Mayfield scored while Ilya Sorokin stopped 18 of Detroit’s 21 shots.

The Isles (41 points) are currently third in the Metropolitan Division, one point back of the second place Washington Capitals (42 points) and five points back of the Carolina Hurricanes (46 points).

PROJECTED LINES

Below are the Islanders’ practice lines from Thursday morning. Check back after Friday’s morning skate for updates to the line combinations.

Jonathan Drouin – Mathew Barzal – Emil Heineman
Anders Lee – Jean-Gabriel Pageau – Simon Holmstrom
Anthony Duclair – Cal Ritchie – Max Shabanov
Kyle MacLean – Casey Cizikas – Marc Gatcomb

Matthew Schaefer – Ryan Pulock
Adam Pelech – Tony DeAngelo
Adam Boqvist – Scott Mayfield

Ilya Sorokin

SOROKIN TO START

Head Coach Patrick Roy confirmed that Ilya Sorokin will start against the Canucks on Friday at UBS Arena. Sorokin is 12-9-2 this season, along with a 2.52 GAA, .910 SV% and three shutouts. Against the Canucks, Sorokin is 2-3-1 lifetime along with a 4.05 GAA and an .880 SV%.

BOQVIST TO DRAW IN

Adam Boqvist will draw into the lineup for the first time since Dec. 6 in a 2-0 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Marshall Warren was recalled from the Bridgeport Islanders on Thursday morning, but he will be a healthy scratch on Friday.

Boqvist has one assist, 11 blocked shots and four hits through 11 games this season. Roy said that Boqvist has been patient and professional as a healthy scratch this season, staying ready for an opportunity.

"He's been a great teammate and he's been doing everything right," Roy said. "I'm happy to see him play."

BARZAL BENEFITS

Mathew Barzal’s playmaking ability has been on display for the last seven games. The 28-year-old forward has eight points (2G, 6A) in that stretch, including an assist in each of the last four games. He and Anders Lee (3G, 5A) both have eight points since the start of December. Barzal is riding a five-game point streak overall (1G, 4A).

Barzal leads the team with 17 assists this season. He sits second with 26 points (9G, 17A), only behind Bo Horvat (31).

HEINEMAN HIGHS

Emil Heineman set a new career-high with his 11^th goal of the season on Tuesday, lighting the lamp in his 100^th career game. Heineman’s 11 goals came in 34 games this season, surpassing his 10 tallies in 62 games with the Canadiens last season.

Heineman has tallied 17 points (11G, 6A) this season and is just one point away from tying his career-high point total of 18 from last year.

A POISED POWER-PLAY

The Islanders’ power-play has resurged as of late, notching a goal in five of their eight games. Their power play ranks eighth in the NHL (27.3%) in the month of December so far.

Barzal leads the team with four power-play points (1G, 3A) this month. Tony DeAngelo ( 3A) and Anders Lee (2G, 1A) are not far behind.

SEASON SERIES

This is the first of two meetings between the Islanders and Canucks this season. The Isles will take on the Canucks on the road on Jan. 19 to close out the season series.

The Isles are 0-4-1 against Vancouver in their last five games on home ice.

CANUCKS NOTES

Vancouver is coming off a 3-0 shutout victory against the New York Rangers on Tuesday. Conor Garland, Evander Kane and Liam Öhgren scored, while seven different Canucks hit the scoresheet. Thatcher Demko denied all 23 shots sent in his direction.

Demko is expected to start against the Islanders. He has won two of his last three games and posted a 1.35 GAA, .938 SV% and one shutout in that stretch. He is 7-5-0 with a 2.45 GAA, .910 SV% and one shutout in his ninth season with Vancouver. Demko is tied with Sorokin for the 10^th highest save percentage in the NHL this season.

Garland has four points (1G, 3A) in the last three games, including a two-assist night in the 2-1 win against the Devils on Sunday. The 29-year-old is second on the team with 19 points (7G, 12A) this season.

The Canucks will be without Quinn Hughes, as he was traded to the Minnesota Wild for Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium, Liam Öhgren and a 2026 first-round pick on Dec. 12. Hughes was leading the Canucks in scoring with 23 points (2G, 21A) at the time of the trade. Hughes is the Canucks’ all-time scoring leader among defensemen, with 432 points (61G, 371A) in 459 games.

In two games since the seismic trade, Buium, the 2024 12^th overall pick, has two points (1G, 1A), Öhgren, the 19^thoverall pick in 2022, has a goal and Rossi, who had 60 points last season, has yet to record a point since joining the Canucks.

Elias Petterson was placed in the IR, retroactive to Dec. 5, ahead of Vancouver’s game on Tuesday. Petterson currently leads the Canucks with 22 points (8G, 14A) in 28 games played.

Vancouver owns the 13^th best power-play percentage in the NHL at 20%. They improve to the ninth best at 23.4% on the road, tied with the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Canucks’ penalty kill ranks 29^th (73.4%) in the league this season.

Vancouver is 9-7-2 on the road this season, but just 2-2-1 in their last five away games.