Game Preview: Islanders vs Devils

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (23-15-4) VS NEW JERSEY DEVILS (22-18-2)

7:30 PM | UBS ARENA | BUY TICKETS

WATCH/STREAM: ESPN + | HULU

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

The New York Islanders will look to earn a second straight win on home ice as they host the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night. This is the last game at UBS Arena before the Isles head out on a seven-game road trip.

New York is coming off a 4-3 overtime victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night. Matthew Schaefer netted a pair of goals, including the overtime winner, while Adam Pelech and Emil Heineman also scored in the contest. David Rittich stopped 18 of Toronto’s 21 shots in his seventh straight start.

PROJECTED LINES

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

Matthew Schaefer – Ryan Pulock
Adam Pelech – Tony DeAngelo
Scott Mayfield – Cole McWard

Ilya Sorokin
David Rittich

SOROKIN TO START VS DEVILS

Ilya Sorokin will start between the pipes against the Devils on Tuesday after missing seven straight games with an injury. He last played against the Vancouver Canucks on Dec. 19. Sorokin is 12-10-2 with a 2.55 GAA, a .910 SV% and three shutouts this season and is one shutout away of breaking Chico Resch’s franchise record

David Rittich held down the fort with Sorokin out. He went 4-2-1 with a 2.30 GAA, .911 SV% and one shutout in his last seven games.

“David has been playing so well for us, and he brings a lot of confidence,” Head Coach Patrick Roy said. “There was no hurry for Ilya to come in and feel ready when he was.”

SCHAEFER IN VS DEVILS

Matthew Schaefer skated with the team at Tuesday’s optional morning skate after he missed practice on Monday morning due to an illness. The 18-year-old said he's good to go against the Devils, though he did admit he felt FOMO (fear of missing out) when he missed Monday's practice.

"I'll be good to play, I don't want to miss any games," Schaefer said. "Any time you miss a day with the guys, you get FOMO a bit. You want to be back in the mix. It was good to get a little bit of rest, but it's way better to be back here on the ice with the guys."

Schaefer, who scored a pair of goals, including the OT winner on Saturday, has skated in every game for New York this season. He is third on the team with 28 points (12G, 16A).

Schaefer has found the scoresheet in each of his last three games. He has four points (3G, 1A) in that stretch and has tied his second longest point-streak this season.

Schaefer earned his second multi-goal game of his rookie seasonon Saturday. He became the first 18-year-old defenseman to record multiple multi-goal games in NHL History and ranks third on the Islanders’ all-time rookie goals list with 12 tallies.

HORVAT UPDATE

Bo Horvat also didn’t join the team for practice but did skate with coaches ahead of the team’s session on Monday. The 30-year-old forward didn’t suit up for the 4-3 overtime win against the Maple Leafs on Saturday.

SEASON SERIES

This is the third of four meetings between the Islanders and Devils this season. New York has won both of the previous contests by one goal, including a 2-1 win on Dec. 23 and a 3-2 OT win on Nov. 10

The Islanders (50 points) and Devils (46 points) are separated by just four points in the standings.

“Obviously a big divisional game,” Ryan Pulock said. “But every night our mindset has to be the same, being reliable defensively.”

DEVILS NOTES

The Devils are entering Tuesday's contest off a 3-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. Luke Hughes netted two own goals in the loss. New Jersey has lost three of their last five games since facing the Islanders before the NHL’s holiday break.

Dawson Mercer has found the score sheet in New Jersey’s last two games. He scored the Devils’ lone goal against Carolina on Sunday and notched a helper against Utah on Saturday. Mercer ranks third on the team with 26 points (11G, 15A). He earned an assist on Brett Pesce’s strike the last time these two teams met at UBS Arena.

Nico Hischier scored in back-to-back games prior to New Jersey’s 3-1 loss to Carolina. The 27-year-old forward is tied for the most goals (12) on the Devils this season. Hischier needs two goals to rank tied for sixth on the Devils’ all-time goal list. He has eclipsed the 20-goal mark in each of his last four seasons.

The Devils own the 13^th best power-play percentage in the NHL at 20.8%. However, they went 0-for-4 on Sunday.

New Jersey’s penalty kill ranks 23^rd in the NHL at 77.5% this season, but they haven’t given up a power-play goal in their last eight man-down scenarios.