Game Preview: Islanders vs. Capitals

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (11-12-6) VS WASHINGTON CAPITALS (20-8-9)2 PM | UBS ARENA | BUY TICKETSWATCH: MSG+ | MSG GO | NHLNLISTEN: 88.7FM| 103.9FM | 98.7FM
The New York Islanders look to keep their winning streak going as they take on another Metropolitan Division opponent in the Washington Capitals on Saturday afternoon at UBS Arena.

The Islanders, who had gone 11 days without a game, enter Saturday's matchup after claiming their third-straight win with a 3-2 defeat over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday. Mathew Barzal scored the game winner late in the third period, while Josh Bailey scored on the power play and Adam Pelech also found the back of the net. Ilya Sorokin made 30 saves on 32 shots in the victory.
The Islanders look to build off that win as they currently sit in eighth place in the Metropolitan Division.
"It's been a challenging first 20-something games of the season for us as a group," Zach Parise said. "We're playing some good hockey, we're finding different ways to win, special teams are coming together, we're getting back to that stingy hockey that we're comfortable playing. We have a lot of ground to make up."
The rested Capitals enter the contest coming off a 7-3 loss to Boston and are looking to snap a four-game winless skid (0-2-2). Connor Sheary scored twice in the first period to give Washington an early 2-0 lead, but six unanswered goals by Boston proved costly. T.J. Oshie also scored for the Caps, while Zach Fucale made the start and was pulled after allowing four goals on 16 shots. Vitek Vanecek made 12 saves in relief.
Saturday marks the first regular season meeting between the Islanders and Capitals. Last season, the Islanders went 2-5-1 against Washington.

ISLANDERS NOTES:

• Bailey scored his second goal of the season and first goal since Oct. 24. The goal was also his first power-play goal. He also dished out an assist for a two-point outing. Bailey now has 14 points (2G, 12A) through 24 games.
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• Pelech, who was selected as the Islanders' representative at the 2022 All-Star Game, scored his first goal of the season. The defenseman now has six points (1G, 5A) through 25 games.
• Barzal scored his seventh goal of the season and his first game-winner of the season. The centerman also now has 14 points (3G, 11A) in his last nine games and leads the Islanders in scoring with 22 points this season (7G, 15A).
• Sorokin made his 21st start of the season and improved his record 9-7-5. The Russian netminder has a 2.43 GAA, a .925 SV% and three shutouts this season.
• The Islanders' power play has scored in five-consecutive contests and have 10 power-play goals in their last 11 games. In the NHL, the Islanders' power play ranks 17th overall at 19.0%.
• The Islanders' penalty kill, which was 4-for-5 against the Devils, ranks 12th in the NHL at 81.5%.
• In the faceoff circle, the Islanders rank top-10 in the league where they sit in seventh place with a 52.3 FOW%.
• After scoring only 33 goals in their first 18 games, the Islanders have scored 34 goals in the last 11 games.
• Centerman Jean-Gabriel Pageau and defenseman Sebastian Aho both missed Thursday's game because both of their wives gave birth, announced by the team during warmup. Both players were back at practice on Friday.
• Ryan Pulock, who is on long-term injured reserve (lower body), and Islanders Head Coach Barry Trotz remain on the COVID list, after being placed in protocols on Tuesday morning. Kyle Palmieri (lower body) is also still on injured reserve.
• Ross Johnston was suspended for three games, without pay, for an illegal check to the head on New Jersey Devils forward A.J. Greer on Thursday, Jan. 13, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced on Friday afternoon.

CAPITALS NOTES:

• Sheary deposited his ninth and 10th goals of the season in the loss to Boston. The winger has 19 points (10G, 9A) through 31 games.
• Oshie scored his fifth goal of the season and now has 13 points (5G, 8A) through 17 games.
• With an assist on Oshie's goal, Alexander Ovechkin secured his 52nd point of the season. The veteran winger and prolific goal scorer ranks second in the NHL in points (52) and goals (24) through 37 games this season. Ovechkin was selected to represent the Caps at the 2022 All-Star Game and was also nominated by fans to be the captain of the Metro Division.
• Fucale made his third start of the season for the Caps while his record fell to 1-1-1. The 26-year-old has a 1.75 GAA, a .924 SV% and one shutout. Fucale was re-assigned to AHL Hershey on Jan. 11
• Vanecek has a 6-4-5 record, a 2.62 GAA and a .907 SV%.
• Goaltender Ilya Samsonov has a 13-3-3 record, a 2.76 GAA, a .903 SV% and three shutouts.
• Washington was without defenseman Dmitry Orlov against Boston, who was placed in COVID-19 protocols on Monday.
• With Nicklas Backstrom back in the lineup against Boston - after being sidelined with a non-COVID-19 related illness - the Capitals had their top four centers for just the second time this season.
• Forward Anthony Mantha is out indefinitely after undergoing shoulder surgery in November.
• Despite giving up two power-play goals against Boston, Washington's penalty kill still ranks 11th in the NHL at 81.9%.