Game Preview: Islanders vs Kings

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (30-15-6) VS LA KINGS (19-30-5)
7 PM | BARCLAYS CENTER | BUY TICKETS
PRIDE NIGHT
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The New York Islanders are looking to close out their three-game homestand with a win, as they host the LA Kings on Thursday night at Barclays Center. The Isles are 1-0-1 on their current homestand and are 2-0-2 in their last four games, marking their longest point streak since the team-record, 17-game run in October-November.

Most recently the Isles defeated Dallas 4-3 in overtime on Tuesday night at Barclays Center. Anthony Beauvillier scored the overtime winner and added another in regulation while Derick Brassard and Mathew Barzal (power play) also scored. Semyon Varlamov made 28 saves.
The Kings began their four-game Metro road trip with a 4-2 loss at Washington on Tuesday night. Jeff Carter scored twice to give the Kings a 2-1 lead midway through the third period, but the Caps rallied back with a natural hat trick from Alex Ovechkin to win the game. Jonathan Quick made 20 saves.

MORNING SKATE UPDATES:

• Thomas Greiss was the first goaltender off at morning skate and is the projected starter to face the Los Angeles Kings. Greiss has made 23 starts this season and has a record of 14-7-2.
  - Devon Toews will play in his 100th-career game tonight against LA. Toews has 38-career points (9G, 29A) and is plus-nine.
  - The Kings acquired forward Trevor Moore and a pair of third-round draft picks from Toronto in exchange for goaltender Jack Campbell and forward Kyle Clifford. Through 52-career NHL games, Moore haas 13 points (5G, 8A). Moore joined his new club in Brooklyn for morning skate.
  - Goaltender Cal Petersen was recalled from Los Angeles affiliate Ontario.

ISLES NOTES:

• Beauvillier scored his 14th and 15th goals of the season and his third game-winning goal of the year. The 22-year-old winger extended his point streak to three games in the process, with four points (3G, 1A) during that span. Through 51 games this season, Beauvillier has 32 points (15G, 17A). Beauvillier is four points shy of matching his career-high (36) set during the 2017-18 season.
  - Brassard scored his ninth goal of the season and snapped an 18-game goal drought. The center has 25 points (9G, 16A) through 51 games.
  - Barzal scored his 18th goal of the season and his fourth power-play goal of the campaign. The goal extended his point streak to three games with four points (1G, 3A) during that span. Through 51 games this season, the 22-year-old center has a team-high 44 points.
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  Recap: NYI 4, DAL 3 OT
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  - Jordan Eberle registered two assists on the night and extended his point streak to three games with four points (1G, 3A) during that span. Through 41 games this season, the winger has 27 points (8G, 19A).
  - Ryan Pulock recorded an assist and now has three assists in as many games. Pulock leads the Isles blueline with six goals and 20 points through 51 games.
  - Kieffer Bellows made his NHL debut against the Stars. The Isles' 2016 first rounder (19th overall) logged 9:10 and skated alongside Brassard and Michael Dal Colle on the third line. Bellows recorded his first NHL point as he had the secondary assist on Brassard's goal. He also threw one hit and recorded one blocked shot in his NHL debut.
  - Semyon Varlamov made his 28th start of the season (first start since Jan. 18) and improved his record to 16-8-4 with a 2.60 goals-against average, a .915 save percentage and two shutouts.
  - The Isles power play went 1-for-5 against the Stars. In the NHL, the Isles power play is ranked 19th overall with a conversion percentage of 19.2%. Even with five power plays against Dallas, the Isles have had the fewest power play opportunities in the NHL with 120 this season. The next lowest team is Anaheim who has had 140.
  - The Isles have gone to overtime or a shootout 17 times this season and won 11 of those 17. The Islanders' eight overtime wins this season are a new franchise record.
  - The win returned the Isles to fourth place in the Metropolitan Division standings with 66 points and a record of 30-15-6. The Islanders are 15 games above NHL .500 and look to go 16 games over .500 for the first time this season.
  - The Islanders are 5-0-3 at Barclays Center this season and have not lost a game in regulation in Brooklyn in over a calendar year.
  - Devon Toews is expected to play in his 100th-career NHL game - all with the Islanders - on Tuesday night.

KINGS NOTES:

• The Kings acquired forward Trevor Moore, as well as a pair of third-round draft picks, on Wednesday night in exchange for goaltender Jack Campbell and forward Kyle Clifford. Moore has five points (3G, 2A) in 26 games with the Leafs this season. Clifford was a longtime King, as he was drafted by the organization in 2009, played 660 games with the club and was a member of the 2012 and 2014 Stanley Cup championship teams. Campbell was acquired in 2016, working his way up from the AHL's Ontario Reign to a backup job with LA.
  More details on the trade can be found here
  .
  - Carter scored his 15th and 16th goals of the season on Tuesday. Through 54 games this season, the center has 25 points.
  - Quick made his 34th start of the season. The 34-year-old netminder has a record of 11-20-3 with a 3.02 GAA and a .895 SV%.
  - Drew Doughty registered an assist on Carter's third period tally. Doughty drew back into the lineup for the first time since Jan. 18 after being sidelined with a lower-body injury. Doughty is second among the Kings in assists with 22 assists. With the assist, Doughty overtook (current Kings' GM) Rob Blake for most points by a defenseman. Through his 12-year NHL career, Doughty has amassed 495 points (116G, 379A) through 903-career games. This season, Doughty has 28 points through 51 games.
  - Tyler Toffoli assisted on Carter's first period goal. Toffoli is second among the Kings leaderboard in points with his 30 points (14G, 16A) through 53 games.
  - Anze Kopitar leads Los Angeles in goals (17), assists (30) and points (47) through his 54 games this season.
  - The Kings are last in the Pacific Division with 43 points and a record of 19-30-5.
  - Los Angeles averages the second fewest (behind Detroit) goals for in the NHL with 2.46 per game.
  - The Kings currently do not have any players on IR.

ISLES VS. KINGS:

The Kings claimed the first meeting of the season series over the isles with a 4-1 victory at Staples Center on Nov. 28. Derick Brassard scored the Isles sole goal while Semyon Varlamov made 26 saves.
The Islanders have won four straight home games against the Kings and have outscored LA 17-9 over that span.