Game Preview: Islanders vs Penguins

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (5-9-2) VS PITTSBURGH PENGUINS (9-6-4)7:30 PM | UBS ARENA | BUY TICKETSWATCH:MSG+ | MSG GO | ESPN+LISTEN: 1050AM | 88.7FM | 103.9FM
The New York Islanders take on the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday night at UBS Arena. It marks the first meeting of the season between the Isles and Pens and the first time since the two teams clashed during last year's postseason, where the Islanders won the First-Round series 4-2.
The Islanders enter the contest on a seven-game losing skid and have faced substantial hits to their lineup due to a COVID-19 outbreak and injuries. Their lineup was without eight regulars in their 4-1 loss to the New York Rangers on Wednesday night.

Despite the tough go as of late, the Islanders are solely focused on their next opportunity to break the pointless stretch and get their first win on home ice at UBS Arena. Friday is the final game of the Islanders' four-game homestand at UBS Arena.
"I'd like to see us get a victory in this building," Islanders Head Coach Barry Trotz said. "Our fans deserve that, and we need it for ourselves; for the standings, for a little bit of confidence in this building... There's no quit in the team, that's for sure. They are giving it everything they have. We've just got to find a way to get a point, get two points, get our lineup together and dig ourselves out. It's been done before."
Pittsburgh is riding a four-game winning streak with its most recent victory taking place on Wednesday with a 4-1 result over Vancouver. Bryan Rust, Evan Rodrigues, Zach Aston-Reese and Brock McGinn all scored while Tristan Jarry made 36 saves on 37 shots in the win.

HOCKEY FIGHTS CANCER NIGHT:

On Friday night, the UBS Arena lights will be turned lavender, as the New York Islanders hold the team's annual Hockey Fights Cancer night, supported by Northwell Health.
The Islanders will wear lavender jerseys in warmups,
which can be bid on until Nov. 27 at 11 p.m. et
. Fans will have their opportunity to stand up to cancer, filling out
"Stand Up 2 Cancer" placards
and holding them up during a TV timeout. Friday's game will also feature a ceremonial puck drop, an LED bracelet giveaway, mystery pucks available for purchase and other activations and fundraisers.
Click here for more information and full details.

ISLANDERS NOTES:

• Andy Andreoff scored the Islanders' lone goal of the game and his first goal with the organization since joining in September.
• Otto Koivula, Thomas Hickey and Paul LaDue were all recalled from the Islanders' AHL affiliate in Bridgeport and all made their season debuts against the Rangers. Koivula assisted on Andreoff's goal.
• Semyon Varlamov made his fourth start of the season and made 17 saves on 21 shots in the loss and is still in search of his first win of the season.
ISLES VS PENGUINS
ISLANDERS ARTICLES
Fischler: First Game vs Rangers
Isles Day to Day: Koivula Recalled
Isles Hosting Hockey Fights Cancer
3 Takeaways: Rangers 4, Isles 1
ISLANDERS VIDEO
Trotz Pregame: Coming Soon
Player Pregame: Coming Soon
GAME EXTRAS
Talkin' Isles
Isles STM Reserve List
Bid on Hockey Fights Cancer Jerseys
Get Ready for Game Day
Getting Here
Parking
• The Islanders lineup took further hits prior to Wednesday, as the team was without its leading scorer Brock Nelson, who is out two-to-four weeks with a lower-body injury he sustained on Monday against Toronto. Defensemen Zdeno Chara, who was placed in COVID-19 protocols on Tuesday and Noah Dobson, who was ruled out against the Rangers with a lower-body injury (day-to-day) ahead of warmups.
• In total, the Islanders are without forwards Josh Bailey, Anders Lee, Ross Johnston and Kieffer Bellows and defensemen Adam Pelech, Andy Greene and Chara, all due to COVID-19 protocols, while also being without Nelson, Dobson and Ryan Pulock (four-to-six weeks), all due to lower-body injuries.
• The seven-game losing streak is the team's longest stretch (in regulation) since Oct. 23 - Nov. 4, 2010.
• The Islanders power play was 0-for-6 against the Rangers and ranks 32nd in the NHL at 10.6%. The Islanders penalty kill was 4-for-5 against the Rangers and is 16th in the league at 81.6%.

PENGUINS NOTES:

• Aston-Reese scored his first goal of the season in the victory against Vancouver.
• Teddy Bleuger (two assists) and McGinn (1G, 1A) each posted two-point outings vs the Canucks.
• Jake Guentzel dished out an assist and leads the Pens in scoring with 16 points and has a team-high eight goals through 18 games this season. The winger is riding a seven-game point streak with eight points (5G, 3A) in that span.
• Rust scored a power-play goal as Pittsburgh went 1-for-4 on the power play and 1-for-1 on the penalty kill. In the NHL, the Penguins' power play ranks 30th overall at 12.1% while their PK is top ranked at 89.8%.
• Jarry made his 16th start of the season and improved his record to 9-4-3. The netminder has a 2.03 GAA and a .933 SV%. According to Michelle Crechiolo, the Pens' team reporter, Since Pittsburgh's 6-0 loss on Nov. 14, Jarry has given up just four goals in his last five starts, stopping 133 of 137 shots over that span. He has started six games in a row and 11 of the past 12.
• Evgeni Malkin is on injured reserve for the Penguins after undergoing offseason knee surgery.
• In the offseason, Pittsburgh acquired McGinn (previously with Carolina), Dominik Simon (back from Calgary) and Danton Heinen (previously with Anaheim).