Game Preview: Islanders vs Coyotes

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (9-5-0) VS ARIZONA COYOTES (5-6-1)
7:30 PM | UBS ARENA | BUY TICKETS
MILITARY APPRECIATION NIGHT
WATCH: MSGSN | MSGGO | ESPN+
LISTEN: 88.7FM | 103.9FM | 1050 AM
The New York Islanders look to extend their winning streak to three games as they take on the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at UBS Arena.
The Islanders are coming off two exciting third period comeback wins over the Calgary Flames and the New York Rangers. The team was down 3-1 in both games entering the third period but rallied to win both 4-3, beating the Flames in overtime and the Rangers in regulation.
"Our guys have a lot of heart," Head Coach Lane Lambert said. "They believe, and they don't quit."

Arizona is in the early stages of a 14-game road trip. They started the trip 2-0, picking up wins in Washington and Buffalo to begin the trip. The Islanders swept the season series last season, blanking the Coyotes in both games. Ilya Sorokin needed only 43 saves to earn the two shutouts.

ISLANDERS NOTES:

• Tuesday was the second straight game the Isles trailed by two goals going to the third period and won the game. It is the first time in club history that has happened, per Eric Hornick. The Islanders have scored 25 goals in the third period this season, most in the NHL.
  - Adam Pelech's goal against the Rangers was his first of the season. Pelech's goal brought the Islanders' season total for goals for defensemen to 12, tied with San Jose Sharks for most in the NHL.
  - Mathew Barzal has four assists in his last two games, including a three-assist game against the Calgary Flames on Monday. Barzal is tied for the team lead in scoring with 15 points despite not scoring a goal yet this season. He is also tied for the third-most assists in the league.
  - The Islanders scored two power play goals in Tuesday's game against the Rangers. It was just the second game of the season where the Islanders scored two power play goals, after Oct. 23 against the Florida Panthers.
  - The Islanders have trailed in five of their nine wins this season and now lead the NHL in comeback wins. The Islanders won only twice last season when trailing after two periods, and neither were from multiple-goal deficits.

COYOTES NOTES:

• Rookie Matias Maccelli is tied with the Seattle Kraken's Matty Beniers for the lead in rookie scoring with nine points (1G, 8A). Maccelli was a fourth-round pick by the Coyotes in the 2019 NHL Draft.
  - Clayton Keller leads the Coyotes in scoring with 13 points (4G, 9A) in 12 games so far this year. Keller suffered a season-ending leg injury at the end of March last year.
  - Nick Schmaltz suffered an upper-body injury early in the season, and the team announced on Oct. 17 that Schmaltz would miss six-to-eight weeks. Schmaltz scored 59 points (23G, 36A) in 63 games last season for the Coyotes.
  - The Coyotes acquired Shayne Gostisbehere from the Philadelphia Flyers prior to the start of the 2021-22 season, and since then he's been one of their best players. The defensemen currently has 10 points (4G, 6A) in 12 games, second on the team in scoring. Gostisbehere had 51 points (14G, 37A) in his first season with the team.
  - Dylan Guenther, the Coyotes' 2021 first round pick, is playing in his first full NHL season. Guenther has six points (2G, 4A) in 11 games so far this year.