Game Preview: Islanders vs Devils

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (37-28-9) VS NEW JERSEY DEVILS (46-19-8)
7:30 PM ET | UBS ARENA | BUY TICKETS
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The New York Islanders are back in action in a Monday matchup against the New Jersey Devils at UBS Arena, concluding a brief two-game homestand.
The Islanders lost 2-0 to the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday, in what was a tight 0-0 matchup through 53:31 until Kyle Okposo found the back of the net to break the stalemate. Jeff Skinner iced the game with an empty net goal as the Isles were shut out for the fifth time of the season. Semyon Varlamov stopped 33-of-34 shots in the loss, while Eric Comrie made all 26 saves in the win.

"It was one of those games where there weren't a ton of chances either way for a little bit," Anders Lee said on Saturday night after the loss. "We needed one in the third, but they got the bounce set that took the lead with six minutes left."
The Devils are coming off a 5-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday, clinching playoff berth in the process. Jack Hughes (1G, 1A), Jesper Bratt, Dawson Mercer, Dougie Hamilton and Tomas Tatar scored for the Devils for the win, while Mackenzie Blackwood made 25 saves in net.
The season series between the Islanders and Devils is knotted at one apiece. The Devils took a 4-1 victory over the Isles at UBS Arena on Oct. 20, while the Islanders won 6-4 at Prudential Center on Dec. 9.
The Islanders (83 points, 74 games played) are hanging on to the first wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, but they're being chased closely by the Pittsburgh Penguins (82 points, 73 games played) and the Florida Panthers, who sit three points out of playoff spot with 79 points and 73 games played.
"I don't think we had any thoughts that we're just going to get handed a playoff spot," Kyle Palmieri said. "We're going to have to fight for it. Not the results we wanted these last few nights, but we'll find a way to recharge and just get ready for Monday."

ISLANDERS NOTES:

• The Islanders picked up one of a possible four points in their Friday-Saturday back-to-back. Despite this, the Islanders are 6-3-1 in their last 10 matchups.
• Josh Bailey slotted into the lineup on Saturday after missing four games. Bailey played 11:40 with a giveaway and a blocked shot. He replaced Simon Holmstrom.
• Anders Lee played his 670th game for the Islanders on Saturday, taking sole possession of 14th place on the Islanders all-time games played list. The captain passed John Taveres (669) who sits in 15th.
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• Kyle Palmieri will face his former team on Monday after spending six seasons with the Devils before he was acquired by the Islanders at the end of the 2020-21 season. Palmieri has tallied five points (2G, 3A) in six games against his former club since joining the Isles.
• Zach Parise - who was drafted by the Devils in the first round (17th overall) of the 2003 NHL Draft - will also see his former team on Monday. Parise spent his first seven NHL seasons with New Jersey before moving on to Minnesota and then the Islanders. Parise's four-game goal streak was snapped on Saturday. Parise has 20 goals this season, marking the first time an Islander 38 or older has scored 20 goals.
• Adam Pelech is two helpers shy of reaching 100 career assists.
• The Islanders are 10-for-13 on the penalty kill in their last five matchups.

DEVILS NOTES:

• With Saturday's 5-3 win over the Senators, the Devils became the third team in 2022-23 to punch their tickets to the playoffs, clinching playoff berth for the first time since the 2017-18 season.
• Jack Hughes is having a career year for the Devils, collecting 86 points (40G, 46A) through 69 games played in his fourth season with New Jersey. The 21-year-old is among the top 10 goal scorers in the league, ranking ninth in the NHL with 40 on the season.
• Jesper Bratt is riding a four-game point streak with six points (4G, 2A) over that span.
• Dougie Hamilton potted his 19th goal of the season on Saturday, marking a career-high for the defenseman. Hamilton also set a franchise record for goals in a single season by a defenseman, surpassing Scott Stevens, who reached 18 in the 1993-94 season.
• Mackenzie Blackwood made his first start since Feb. 19, returning from injury after suffering a lower-body injury. The 26-year-old netminder has nine wins in 17 starts this season, along with a .900 SV% and 3.04 GAA.
• Vitek Vanecek is sporting a career-best 2.49 GAA in his first season with New Jersey. The 27-year-old goalie has a record of 29-9-4, which is good for seventh in the NHL in wins.
• The Devils are 26-6-4 on the road this season, which is the second-best away record in the NHL behind the Boston Bruins (27-8-2).