Game Preview: Islanders vs Kings

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (29-15-6) VS LA KINGS (20-26-4)
7 PM | NYCB LIVE | BUY TICKETS
WATCH: MSG+ | MSG GO | NHL.TV
LISTEN: 88.7FM WRHU | 103.9FM LI NEWS | RADIO.COM/ISLANDERS

ISLANDERS NOTES:

• Saturday's game against the Kings marks the second leg of a home back-to-back for the Islanders. New York is coming off a 1-0 shootout loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday night. The Islanders are 7-0-0 on the second nights of back-to-backs this season, one win shy of matching a franchise record. The Isles have outscored their opponents 27-6 this season on the second night of back to backs.
  - The Islanders enter Saturday on a seven-game point streak (5-0-2) and are 15-3-2 in their last 20 games.
  - The Islanders (29-15-6) lead the Metropolitan Division with 64 points this season and have the second-best record in the Eastern Conference trailing only the Lightning (38-11-2).
  - Robin Lehner is expected to start for the Islanders as Barry Trotz said he planned to split his goalies on the back-to-back set. Lehner, who leads the league with a 2.02 GAA and a .931 SV%, was named the NHL's second star of January after posting a 6-1-1 record.
  - Thomas Greiss extended his personal shutout streak to 146:48 after a 41-save performance on Friday night. Greiss is third in the NHL with a 2.39 GAA and is tied for third with a .924 SV%.
  - The Islanders are victorious in their past two meetings versus the Kings. Additionally, New York has won three consecutive home games against Los Angeles.

Video: Morning Skate 2/2: Barry Trotz

KINGS NOTES:

• The Kings currently sit last in the Pacific Division with a 20-26-4 record. The Kings (44 points) are eight points out of a playoff spot.
  - This will be Los Angeles' first game after the All-Star break and bye week. The Kings last played on Jan. 21 in a 4-3 win over the St. Louis Blues.
  - On Jan. 28, the Kings acquired forward Carl Grundstrom, defenseman Sean Durzi, and a 2019 first-round draft selection from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for defenseman Jake Muzzin. Muzzin played 496 games over eight seasons for the Kings, recording 213 points (51G, 162A) over that span. Grundstrom is currently playing for the Ontario Reign.
  - The Kings last played on Long Island on Mar. 26, 2015, defeating New York by a 3-2 margin. Los Angeles is 20-25-1 (five ties) in 51 career games at Nassau Coliseum.
  - Anze Kopitar leads the Kings with 14 goals and 34 points, while Drew Doughty leads the team with 23 assists.
  - Jack Campbell is currently second in the NHL in save percentage (.931) and goals against average (2.19). Campbell only trails Isles goalie Robin Lehner in both categories.
  - Nate Thompson (flu) did not travel with the Kings to Long Island.