Game Preview: Islanders vs. Devils

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (6-11-5) VS NEW JERSEY DEVILS (10-10-5)
7:30 PM | UBS ARENA | BUY TICKETS
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ISLANDERS TOY DRIVE
The New York Islanders take on the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night at UBS Arena in what will be the second meeting between the two Metropolitan Division opponents.

The Islanders enter the matchup coming off a 4-3 defeat to the Nashville Predators, who put the game away with 11.5 seconds left in regulation and snapped the Islanders' four-game point streak (1-0-3). The Islanders received scoring from Austin Czarnik and Noah Dobson as well as a power-play goal from Anders Lee. Semyon Varlamov made 25 saves on 29 shots. The Islanders are still in search of their first win at UBS Arena and are hoping to do so on home ice against the Devils.
New Jersey enters the contest to finish off the second leg of their back-to-back set where they also played - and lost 3-2 - against Nashville on Friday night. Pavel Zacha and Yegor Sharangovich scored, while Mackenzie Blackwood made 24 saves on 27 shots.
The Islanders and Devils last met on Nov. 11 where New Jersey shut the Islanders out 4-0 at Prudential Center.

ISLANDERS NOTES:

• MORNING SKATE UPDATE: Brock Nelson and Casey Cizikas will return to the lineup on Saturday night. Cizikas was activated from non-roster status after entering COVID-19 Protocol on Nov. 27, while Nelson was activated off the team's IR list after suffering a lower-body injury on Nov. 21.
In a corresponding move, Otto Koivula and Austin Czarnik were returned on loan to Bridgeport. Czarnik recorded three points (1G, 2A) in four games, while Koivula, who was recalled on Nov. 24, had one assist in three games. Czarnik's goal was his first since Oct. 24, 2019.
Read more at Isles Day to Day
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• Czarnik scored his first goal of the season - and first NHL goal since Oct. 24, 2019 - as he played in his third straight game. Czarnik and his linemates Kieffer Bellows and Oliver Wahlstrom now have combined for 10 points (3G, 7A) in their last two games.
ISLES VS DEVILS
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Islanders Prospect Report: Dec. 6, 2021
UBS Arena Toy Drive
Fischler: Morrow's Moments
ISLANDERS VIDEO
Trotz Pregame
Cizikas and Nelson Pregame
GAME EXTRAS
Talkin' Isles
Isles STM Reserve List
Get Ready for Game Day
Getting Here
Parking
• Lee scored his seventh goal of the season - first on the power play - and his third goal in the last two games. The Islanders captain has seven points on as many goals through 17 games.
• Dobson wired in his second goal of the season and leads the Islanders' blueline in scoring with seven points (2G, 5A) through 20 games.
• Varlamov made his sixth start of the season while his record fell to 0-5-1. The veteran Russian netminder has a 3.29 GAA and a .884 SV%.
• With an assist on Lee's goal, Mathew Barzal extended his point streak to five games where he has compiled seven points (1G, 6A) in that span. Barzal leads the Islanders in scoring with 15 points (5G, 10A) through 22 games.
• Lee's PPG marked the third time in four games the Islanders lit the lamp on the man advantage. The Islanders' power play ranks 27th overall in the NHL at 15.0%. Their penalty kill was a perfect 1-for-1 against Nashville and ranks eighth in the NHL at 82.8%.
• Brock Nelson, who has been sidelined since Nov. 21 with a lower-body injury and Casey Cizikas, who has been out since Nov. 27 due to COVID-19 protocols, both practiced with the team on Friday afternoon and could possibly join the lineup against New Jersey per Trotz. "There's a good chance you'll see at least one of them," Trotz said.
• Ryan Pulock (lower body) remains on injured reserve.
• The Islanders are 0-5-2 at UBS Arena, extending their own NHL record for most games without a win in a new venue.
• In their last 13 games, the Islanders are 1-9-3.
• The Islanders are 7-3-0 in their last ten games against New Jersey.

DEVILS NOTES:

• Zacha is tied for the team lead in goals as he buried his ninth goal of the season. The centerman has 14 points (9G, 5A) through 25 games.
• Sharangovich tallied his fourth goal of the season.
• Devils captain Nico Hischier assisted on Zacha's goal and also got in a fight against Nashville's Mikael Granlund.
• Blackwood made his 13th start of the season while his record dropped to 5-4-3. The netminder has a 2.84 GAA and a .911 SV%.
• The Devils power play was 0-for-4 against Nashville, while their penalty kill was 1-for-2. In the NHL, New Jersey's power play ranks 31st overall at 13.2% and their penalty kill ranks 21st at 80.3%
• Jesper Bratt leads the Devils in scoring with 23 points (7G, 16A) in 25 games. With an assist on Sharangovich's goal, Bratt extended his point streak to four-straight games with five points (1G, 4A) during that stretch.
• New Jersey placed netminder Jonathan Bernier on Injured Reserve due to a nagging hip injury and recalled Akria Schmid from Utica of the American Hockey League.