Game Preview: Islanders vs Penguins

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (42-27-5) VS PITTSBURGH PENGUINS (36-21-16) 

7PM | UBS ARENA | BUY TICKETS 

WATCH/STREAM: MSGSN | GOTHAM SPORTS APP 

LISTEN: 88.7FM | 103.9FM | ISLANDERS + UBS ARENA APP

The New York Islanders wrap up their five-game homestand against the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

New York scored five second period goals to storm back and beat the Florida Panthers 5-2 on Saturday afternoon. Brayden Schenn (1G, 2A) Marc Gatcomb (1G, 1A), Simon Holmstrom, Emil Heineman and Casey Cizikas led the way offensively in the win. Ilya Sorokin made 19 saves on 21 shots in the win. 

The stakes are high for Monday's contest, as the second-place Islanders (89 points) and third-place Penguins (88 points) are neck-and-neck in the ultra-tight Metropolitan Division standings. Pittsburgh holds a game in hand on the Islanders, so an Isles regulation win would give New York some minor, but much needed, separation from the Penguins. The Columbus Blue Jackets (88 points) are also on the heels of both teams, currently sitting in the second wild card.

PROJECTED LINES

Here is how the Islanders lined up against the Panthers on Saturday. Check back after Monday’s morning skate for any updates to the lines. 

Anders Lee – Bo Horvat – Emil Heineman 
Cal Ritchie – Brayden Schenn – Mathew Barzal 
Ondrej Palat – JG Pageau – Simon Holmstrom 
Kyle MacLean – Casey Cizikas – Marc Gatcomb  

Ryan Pulock – Matthew Schaefer 
Adam Pelech – Carson Soucy 
Scott Mayfield – Adam Boqvist 

MATTHEW SCHAEFER TIES ISLES ROOKIE RECORD FOR D-MEN

Matthew Schaefer earned a pair of assists in Saturday’s 5-2 win, which marked the 55th and 56th points of his rookie campaign. Schaefer passed Denis Potvin (54) and tied Stefan Persson (56) for the most points by a rookie defenseman in Islanders history. He needs one more point to set a new franchise record.  

The 18-year-old is tied for second place among NHL rookie skaters with 56 points (22G, 34A), third on the Islanders with 100 blocked shots and tied for second with 31 takeaways this season. 

HIGH SCORING

The Islanders’ five goals in the second period were the most goals the team has scored in a single period since their five-goal first period against the Vancouver Canucks on Feb. 9, 2022.

PENALTY KILLING 

New York has not given up a power-play goal in their last four games, going a perfect five-for-five in that stretch. 

“We're really relying on our system, our structure and what we have to do out there on a nightly basis,” Bo Horvat said after Saturday’s win. “I mean we're getting big saves at big times from [Sorokin], but we're also doing the job when we're out there.” 

The Islanders’ penalty kill unit (81.5%) ranks eighth in the NHL this season. They surge to second (84.5%) at home.  

SEASON SERIES  

This is the third and final regular season meeting between the Isles and Penguins this year. New York is 1-1-0 in the season series, including a 5-4 overtime win at UBS Arena on Feb. 3.  

Both of the games between the two sides have been decided by one goal this season.

PENGUINS NOTES

The Penguins have dropped four of their last six games and haven't won in regulation since Mar. 16. They most recently fell 6-3 to the Dallas Stars on Saturday night. Erik Karlsson (1G, 2A), Anthony Mantha and Noel Acciari scored the Pens' goals in the loss. Stuart Skinner denied 20 of the 24 shots directed his way. 

Pittsburgh (88 points) sits in third place in the Metropolitan Division. 

With a three-point outing on Saturday, Karlsson eclipsed 60 points (13G, 47A) for the first time since his 101-point, Norris Trophy-winning year with the San Jose Sharks in the 2022-23 season. The 35-year-old has six points (2G, 4A) in his last two outings. Karlsson leads the team with 47 assists and is second in scoring.  

Rickard Rakell enters Monday’s game on a three-game point streak, with five points (3G, 2A) in that stretch. Rakell notched an eight-game point streak earlier this month. He sits sixth on the team with 40 points (17G, 23A) this season. 

On Dec. 29, the Penguins acquired Egor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Danton Heinen, a 2026 second-round pick (via. STL) and a 2027 third-round pick (via. WSH). Chinakhov has 26 points (14G, 12A) since joining the Pens and tallied a goal in the Feb. 3 matchup against the Isles. 

Sidney Crosby (lower-body, day-to-day) exited Pittsburgh 4-3 shootout win over the Ottawa Senators in the second period and didn’t return, and while he didn’t suit up against the Stars on Saturday, the Penguins' captain practiced on Sunday. Crosby leads the team with 64 points (28G, 36A) this season. 

Evgeni Malkin (upper-body, day-to-day) missed his third straight game on Saturday. Malkin ranks fifth on the Pens with 52 points (15G, 37A) in his 20th NHL season. Malkin also practiced on Sunday. 

Pittsburgh owns the seventh-best power-play (24.4%) in the league this season, but they have stumbled to 20th (19.6%) this month.  

The Penguins also own the third-best penalty kill (82.1%) in the 2025-26 campaign.