Game Preview: Islanders vs Rangers

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (24-14-4) VS NEW YORK RANGERS (17-19-7)
1 PM | BARCLAYS CENTER | BUY TICKETS
WATCH: MSG+2 | MSG GO | NHL.TV
LISTEN: 88.7FM WRHU | 103.9FM LI NEWS | RADIO.COM/ISLANDERS

Video: Bailey's late winner leads Islanders past Rangers

ISLES-RANGERS NOTES:

• The Islanders have won nine of the past 10 meetings against the Rangers and 13 of the past 15.
  - The Islanders are 7-0 vs the Rangers at Barclays Center, outscoring their rivals 25-12 (including a shootout winner). The 7-0 run marks the Islanders longest home winning streak vs the Rangers since an eight-game heater in 1991 and 1992.
  - Mathew Barzal has 14 points (4G, 10A) in seven-career games against the Rangers. Barzal had three points (1G, 2A) in Thursday's win.
  - Henrik Lundqvist is 1-9-2 in his last 12 games against the Islanders.

ISLANDERS NOTES:

• Robin Lehner has won a career-high, eight straight games. Lehner has allowed only 16 goals in his last 11 games (8-1-2, 1.50 GAA, .947 save percentage).
  - Lehner is the fourth goalie in Isles history to win eight straight decisions and the first since Jaroslav Halak won 11 straight in 2014-15.
  - Anders Lee has six points (2G, 4A) in his last four games. Lee recorded his 100th career assist on Thursday and his 140th career goal passed Kyle Okposo (139) on the Isles all-time list.
  - Jordan Eberle has two goals in three games since returning from an upper-body injury. Eberle's next goal will be the 200th of his career.
  - The Islanders power play went 2-for-3 against the Rangers on Thursday night.
  - The Islanders (52 points) are in the first wild card berth in the Eastern Conference and are one point behind the Columbus Blue Jackets (53 points) for third in the Metropolitan Division.
  - Saturday's game kicks off a busy stretch for the Isles, who play five games in seven days.

RANGERS NOTES:

• The Rangers are on a five-game losing streak.
  - The Rangers (41 points) are 11 points back of the Buffalo Sabres (52 points) for the second wild card berth in the Eastern Conference.
  - Kevin Hayes - the Rangers second-leading scorer - missed his fourth straight game on Thursday night.
  - Henrik Lundqvist has lost three straight games and is 1-9-2 in his last 12 games against the Islanders.
  - Mike Zibanejad leads the Rangers with 35 points (12G, 23A). Chris Kreider leads the team with 20 goals.
  - UPDATE: Alexandar Georgiev will start in goal for the Rangers. Gorgiev is 5-7-0 this season with a 3.33 GAA and a .897 SV% and one shutout, which came against the Islanders earlier ths season.