Game Preview: Islanders vs Coyotes

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (1-0-0) VS ARIZONA COYOTES (1-1-0)

7:30PM | UBS ARENA | BUY TICKETS

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The New York Islanders continue their season-opening homestand with a matchup against the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday night at UBS Arena.

The Islanders are coming off a 3-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres in their home opener on Saturday. Brock Nelson (1G, 1A), Kyle Palmieri and Casey Cizikas (GWG) powered the Islanders’ offense, while Casey Mittelstadt (1G, 1A) and Jordan Greenway scored the pair of goals for Buffalo. Ilya Sorokin stood tall in net, turning aside 26 of 28 shots.

The Coyotes are coming off a hard-fought, 2-1 loss to the New York Rangers on Monday night. Clayton Keller scored to negate Chris Kreider’s first period tally, but Vincent Trocheck deflected in the eventual game-winner. Connor Ingram stopped 26 of 28 shots in the loss.

The Islanders were 0-2-0 against the Coyotes last season in two meetings, but New York carries a record of 10-4-2 in their previous 16 matchups against Arizona.

HISPANIC HERITAGE NIGHT

Join the Islanders for a Hispanic Heritage Night celebration on Tuesday night. Fans can enjoy special concessions at section 103 in the form of tacos and traditional Salvadoran pupusas, which are corn-based griddle flatbreads with various toppings.

As a bonus, the first 200 fans who purchase a special ticket through this link will receive a ¡Vamos Islanders hat!

ISLANDERS NOTES

- The Islanders defeated the Sabres to earn their first season-opening home win since 1995, snapping an eight-game winless streak (0-5-3) in opening night games on home ice over that span.

- Brock Nelson registered a two-point game on Saturday in the Islanders’ home opener, scoring the opening goal of the season and notching an assist in the first period. The 32-year-old forward led the Islanders in the three major categories of goals (36), assists (39) and points (75).

- Pierre Engvall notched his first point of the season with an assist on Nelson's goal, utilizing his speed to gain possession of the puck to sauce a pass to a wide-open Nelson, earning praise from Head Coach Lane Lambert on Monday.

"He recognized the situation. And he went after it and won the battle," Lambert said. "He just he used his speed to go after the puck and used his strength to create separation, it was a huge goal for us."

- Scott Mayfield missed Monday’s practice and is considered day-to-day by Lambert. Mayfield blocked a shot late in Saturday’s win. His status for Tuesday’s game is unknown, but if he can’t go, Samuel Bolduc is expected to draw into the lineup.

UPDATE: Mayfield will not play on Tuesday. Samuel Bolduc will make his season debut. 

- Adam Pelech reached his 100th career assist with a helper on the game-winner on Saturday.

- Simon Holmstrom played in his first-career home opener on Saturday, faring well on a line with Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat. Lambert pointed out that aside from the winger's playmaking ability, he's also an asset from a defensive perspective.

"He's really responsible, so it allows maybe a little bit more freedom for the other two guys," Lambert said of Holmstrom. " He's strong on his stick and he has a very good mind defensively.

- Matt Martin is expected to play in his 900th NHL game on Tuesday. The veteran winger has played 767 of his 899 career games with the Islanders and is seventh on the franchise’s games-played list. Martin is currently the longest-tenured Islander, with eight more games than Nelson (759).

- Cal Clutterbuck is expected to suit up for his 638th game as an Islander, which would tie Derek King for 16th on the games played leaderboard for the franchise.

COYOTES NOTES

- The Coyotes are 1-1-0 on the season after winning their season-opener 4-3 against the New Jersey in a shootout on Friday and dropping a 2-1 decision to the Rangers on Monday.

- Clayton Keller scored against the Rangers on Monday to tie the game at one in the middle frame. The Coyotes sniper led the team in goals (37) and points (86) last season, reaching career highs in both categories. Though he’s 25 years old, Keller is the longest-tenured Coyote with 443 games played in his seven seasons with the team.

- Connor Ingram started between the pipes on Monday against the Rangers, making 26 saves in his first game of the season, after signing a three-year deal in the offseason. Karel Vejmelka is expected to face the Islanders on Tuesday in the second leg of a back-to-back set for Arizona. Vejmelka went 2-0-0 against the Islanders last season, including a 24-save shutout at UBS Arena on Nov. 10, 2022.

- Matt Dumba inked a one-year deal with the Coyotes after a 10-year career with the Minnesota Wild. The 29-year-old defenseman played in his milestone 600th career NHL game on Monday.

- The Coyotes selected Logan Cooley in the first round of the 2022 NHL Draft (3rd overall). The 19-year-old recorded his first two NHL points on Friday against New Jersey, taking two shots and seeing 19:02 in his NHL debut.

- Arizona locked in their management over the offseason, signing General Manager Bill Armstrong and Head Coach Andre Tourigny to contract extensions.