Game Preview: Islanders vs Hurricanes

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (17-11-0) VS CAROLINA HURRICANES (14-6-6)
7:30 PM | UBS ARENA | BUY TICKETS
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The New York Islanders will debut their
Reverse Retro jerseys
on Saturday night when they take on the Carolina Hurricanes at UBS Arena.
Before they debut their style, the Islanders won in style on Friday night, as they pulled out an exciting 6-4 win over the Metropolitan Division-leading New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on Friday.

"I liked the way we played, for the most part," Head Coach Lane Lambert said. "Staying above them, not giving them as many shots as they were accustomed to."
The Hurricanes are on a six-game point streak (4-0-2) but lost their most recent game against the Anaheim Ducks 4-3 in overtime on Tuesday.
In their last matchup with Carolina at PNC Arena on Oct. 28, the Islanders pulled out a 6-2 victory, with a game-winner from Josh Bailey in his 1000th game.

ISLANDERS NOTES:

• Brock Nelson scored two goals against the Devils on Friday. He is on a seven-game point streak with eight points (5G, 3A) on that streak. Nelson's seven-game streak is the longest of his career and ties Mathew Barzal for the longest streak for an Islander this season.
  ISLES VS CANES
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  ISLANDERS VIDEO
  Highlights: Isles 6, Devils 4
  GAME EXTRAS
  Reverse Retro Jersey
  Talkin' Isles
  Isles Season Tickets
  Getting Here
  Parking
  - Cal Clutterbuck returned to the lineup after missing the last three games. Clutterbuck had his first multi-point effort of the season with a goal and an assist against New Jersey.
  - Alexander Romanov had his first multi-point game as an Islander with a two-assist game against the Devils on Friday.
  - Anthony Beauvillier suffered an injury and left the game against the Devils in the first period. Head Coach Lane Lambert did not comment on his status after the game.
  - Adam Pelech missed Friday's game after suffering an upper-body injury on Tuesday against the St. Louis Blues. He is considered day-to-day. Robin Salo drew into the lineup in Pelech's place, playing 7:25 TOI and had one hit, one block and one shot on goal.
  - Kyle Palmieri remains out with an upper-body injury. He has not played since Nov. 21 in Toronto.
  - Casey Cizikas scored his first goal of the season on Friday against the Devils. Cizikas' last goal came on April 26 against Washington last season.
  - Ilya Sorokin is likely to start on Saturday after Varlamov started Friday's win over the Devils. Sorokin has a 10-8-0 reocrd with a 2.33 GAA, a .927 SV% and two shutouts this year. Sorokin is looking to snap a three-game losing streak. The Russian netminder stopped 33 of 35 shots in the Isles win over Carolina in October.

HURRICANES NOTES:

• Sebastian Aho will not play Saturday and is day-to-day with a lower-body injury, according to Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour. Aho is second on the Hurricanes with 27 points (11G, 16A) in 26 games.
  - Martin Nečas leads the Hurricanes in points with 28 (12G, 16A). He has five points (3G, 2A) in his last five games.
  - Jesper Fast is questionable to play, per Brind'Amour. Fast has eight points (2G, 6A) in 26 games.
  - The Hurricanes recalled defenseman Maxime Lajoie from the AHL Chicago Wolves on Dec. 8. Lajoie has played just one NHL game this season, and has six assists in 17 AHL games this year.
  - Brent Burns is on a three-game point streak, with five points (1G, 4A) in those games. Burns is fourth on the team in scoring with 19 points (4G, 15A) in 26 games.
  - The Canes have won their last three games against the Isles in New York; the last Islander home win was on November 24, 2018, at Barclays Center.