Game Preview: Islanders vs Devils

NEW YORK ISLANDERS VS NEW JERSEY DEVILS
7PM | NASSAU COLISEUM
TV: MSG+ | MSG GO | NHL.TV
RADIO: 1050AM | 88.7FM | 103.9FM
The New York Islanders (2-1-0) wrap-up their two-game homestand as they host the New Jersey Devils (2-0-1) for the first time this season on Thursday night at Nassau Coliseum at 7 p.m.
The Islanders enter Thursday's contest coming off of a 1-0 win over the Boston Bruins on Monday night. Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored the sole goal and the game winner late in the third period, while Semyon Varlamov returned in goal - after missing the game on Jan. 16 with an injury sustained in warmups - made 27 saves and recorded his second-straight shutout. In doing so, he set a new franchise record.

New Jersey earned its first regulation win of the season over the New York Rangers on Tuesday evening with a 4-3 result. Jack Hughes scored twice, while Travis Zajac opened up scoring and Miles Wood's second period power-play goal proved to be the game-decider. Mackenzie Blackwood picked up the win with a 47-save performance.
Thursday's match will be the first time playing against the Devils in over a year, as the last meeting between the Tri-State rivals was on Jan. 7 at the Prudential Center where the Islanders pulled out a 4-3 shootout win. Thursday will also be the first time that Andy Greene, who formerly was captain of the Devils, and Cory Schneider face their former club.
"[For] me, it's the first time doing this," Greene said. "It's going to be strange. It'll be weird. It'll be strange seeing some of those guys that I have a really good relationship with. Once the puck drops and you get through the first shift there it'll be hockey as usual, but it'll be my first time going through it."

ISLANDERS NOTES:

• With his second-straight shutout, Varlamov became the first goalie in Islander history to start a season with consecutive shutouts (120:00), breaking Rick DiPietro's club record scoreless streak to start the season (115:35 in 2003-04). With two starts this season, Varlamov now has a record of 2-0-0 and leads goaltenders in the league in GAA (0) and SV% (100).
• Pageau scored his first goal of the season - and first game-winner - with a highlight-reel tally. After an Adam Pelech-point shot deflected off the stick of Bruins' captain Patrice Bergeron, Pageau swatted the puck mid-air and into Boston's net.
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• Pelech and Ryan Pulock earned the assists on Pageau's goal and in doing so, they each recorded their first point of the season.
• The Islanders penalty kill went three-for-three against Boston and now has only surrendered one power-play goal so far this season. In total, their PK is now 16-for-17 on the man-down. Across the league, the Islanders penalty kill is ranked third overall at 92.9% and is behind Boston and Anaheim, who have each yet to allow a power-play goal so far this season.
• Faceoffs have been another strong area for the Islanders so far this season. They currently rank third overall in the NHL with a faceoff win percentage of 54.9%. Against Boston, the Islanders held a 51% edge in the circle. Casey Cizikas won 7-of-10 draws. Pageau is currently ranked 17th overall in the NHL with his 60.4% faceoff win percentage.
• The Islanders are averaging the second-fewest amount of shots this season with a nightly average of 24.3, just ahead of Anaheim's 23.7.
• Anders Lee and Nick Leddy are currently tied for top of the Islanders leaderboard, as both have two points through three games. Lee has two goals while Leddy has two assists.
• The Islanders' 1.67 goals against average is tied for the second-lowest in the NHL with the Vegas Golden Knights and behind Tampa Bay (1.50).
• The Islanders assigned Kieffer Bellows to the taxi squad and called up Dmytro Timashov from the AHL squad, who joined the Islanders for practice on Wednesday morning. Oliver Wahlstrom, who was on the taxi squad, also joined the main group for practice on Tuesday and Wednesday.
• Josh Bailey was absent from Wednesday's practice and was placed on the NHL's list for players unavailable to play or practice due to COVID protocol.
"He's in protocol," Islanders Head Coach Barry Trotz said ahead of Thursday's game. "That's really all I can say right now. You'll have to see [what changes happen] in the lineup. We've got options A, B and C."
There is no timeline for how long Bailey could potentially be sidelined, those details don't have to be disclosed per league protocol.
• Michael Dal Colle, who was put on injured reserve to start the season, joined the team for practice Tuesday and Wednesday and is, 'very close' to being available, as confirmed by Trotz following Tuesday's practice.

DEVILS NOTES:

• Hughes scored his first and second goals of the season and increased his points total to six through three games. Hughes is now in a nine-way tie for the second-most NHL points (Vegas' Mark Stone currently holds the league-lead with seven). The 2019 first-overall pick is riding a three-game point streak with two goals and four assists in that span.
• Wood's game winner was his third goal of the season and he now owns the goal-scoring lead for the Devils. Through three games, Wood has picked up four points (3G, 1A) and is riding a three-game point streak. Wood also has already accrued nine PIMs.
• Zajac's goal was his first of the season and first point of the season.
• P.K. Subban, Ty Smith, Yegor Sharangovich and Kyle Palmeri all earned assists during the Devils game against the Rangers. With the assist, Subban earned his first point of the season. Smith extended his point streak to three games with three points (1G, 2A) during that span, Sharangovich has points in his last two games (1G, 1A) and Palmeri dished out his second assist of the season.
• Blackwood picked up his first regulation win of the season and has started in all three games. The 24-year-old has a GAA of 1.90 and a SV% of .948.
• The Devils are allowing the most shots against with an average of 38.3. New Jersey's 27.0 shot average is ranked 25th in the league.
• On Wednesday morning, the Devils reassigned goaltender Gilles Senn to their AHL affiliate in Binghamton and added defenseman Kevin Bahl to their taxi squad. Goaltender Eric Comrie was also added to their active NHL roster.
• On Sunday, Jan. 18, New Jersey claimed goaltender Aaron Dell off of waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs.
• As far as offseason transactions, New Jersey resigned Nicholas Merkley (one-year two-way contract), acquired Andreas Johnsson in a trade with Toronto, re-signed Blackwood (three-year contract), signed Sami Vantanen and re-signed Jesper Bratt (two-year contract).
• New Jersey currently does not have any players on injured reserve. Jesper Bratt was placed on the NHL's list for players unavailable to play or practice due to COVID protocol.