Game Preview: Islanders vs. Rangers

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (30-15-5) VS. NEW YORK RANGERS (26-19-6)
7 P.M. | NASSAU COLISEUM
WATCH: MSG+2 | MSG GO | NHL.TV
LISTEN: 88.7FM | 103.9FM | 1050AM
The New York Islanders and New York Rangers are set to clash in the eighth and final regular season meeting between the crosstown rivals. Through seven previous meetings, the Islanders are 5-2-0 while the Rangers are 2-4-1.
The stakes are high in the final matchup as the Islanders could punch their ticket to the postseason with a regulation victory. Following the Islanders' 4-0 shutout over the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night, their magic number to clinch a playoff spot dropped down from eight to four. Both Washington and Pittsburgh advanced to the postseason on Thursday night following the Penguins' 5-4 OT win.

The Islanders got back in the win column on Thursday following a three-game winless skid (0-2-1) against the Capitals. Semyon Varlamov shined in the blanking, as he set a new career-high with his sixth shutout of the season and became the first netminder to record three shutouts at Madison Square Garden in a single year. Leo Komarov, Oliver Wahlstrom (power play), Anthony Beauvillier and Mathew Barzal all scored in the win, while Brock Nelson and Scott Mayfield each contributed two assists.

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ISLANDERS NOTES:

• In the Islanders last 13 games, the team that has scored first has won the game. The same theme has followed suit in all seven Islanders-Rangers games this season. The Islanders are 21-1-2 when scoring first and are 9-14-3 when allowing the opening goal.
• Varlamov overtook the league lead in shutouts this season, as he earned his sixth and in doing so, established a new career high. With the win, the 33-year-old Russian goalie improved his record to 18-9-4 this season with a 2.05 GAA and a .928 SV%. Varlamov is 11-5-2 in his last 18 decisions, allowing just 37 goals in that span. Varlamov is currently riding a shutout streak of 153:56; Chico Resch holds the club record at 178:29.
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ISLANDERS VIDEO
Video: Trotz Pregame
Video: Nick Leddy Pregame
Video: JG Pageau Pregame
GAME EXTRAS
Talkin' Isles
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Arena Safety FAQ
Fan Cutout Gallery
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• Komarov returned to the lineup for the first time since April 22nd in place of Travis Zajac. Komarov's goal marked his first of the season. The winger skated alongside Barzal and Jordan Eberle.
• Wahlstrom's power-play goal provided him with his 10th tally of his rookie season and his third power-play strike.
• Beauvillier buried his 11th goal of the season and continued his rampage against the Rangers. The 23-year-old winger has scored the more points against the Blueshirts than any other NHL team throughout his five-year career as he has totaled 21 points (11G, 10A) with a plus-eight rating in 20-career games.
• Barzal snapped a 12-game scoreless drought following his hat trick on April 1. The center scored his 14th goal of the season on an empty Rangers cage. Barzal leads the Islanders in scoring with 40 points (14G, 26A) through 50 games.
• Noah Dobson returned to the lineup in place of Brayden Coburn after being a healthy scratch for one game. The 21-year-old blueliner played 13:59, including 2:05 on the power play, and was plus-one.
• Brock Nelson matched Anders Lee for the third-longest streak of consecutive games at 295. Nelson can take sole possession of third place on Saturday.
• With its 2-for-2 execution against the Rangers, the Islanders' PK unit has now killed 28 of the last 29 opponent power plays and has scored one shorthanded goal in that span as well.
• Trotz coached in his 200th game behind the Islanders bench on Thursday night and improved his coaching record with the Islanders to 113-65-22.
• The Islanders' 19-3-3 home record is one of the best in the NHL. Their 19 home wins are tied with Vegas for the second most in the NHL behind Pittsburgh and Tampa, who both have won 20 games on home ice.

RANGERS NOTES:

• With the loss, the Rangers' three-game winning streak came to a halt.
• Shesterkin made his 19th start of the season in net while his record dropped to 15-12-3. The Russian netminder has a 2.44 GAA and a .920 SV%. Shesterkin's record vs the Islanders dropped to 0-4-1 all time.
• Rangers Head Coach David Quinn did not have an immediate update following the game on the status of defenseman Ryan Lindgren, who left the game following an awkward clash into the panes of glass with Islanders forward Cal Clutterbuck. Lindgren did not practice with the Rangers on Friday.
• The Rangers played the game without Chris Kreider who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
• Jacob Trouba (upper body) missed his fifth-straight game on Thursday. Trouba skated on Friday, but Quinn did not confirm whether the d-man would be in or out for Saturday's game.
• With the loss, the chances of making playoffs is beginning to get harder and harder for the Rangers, who currently sit in fifth place (58 points) in the East, are six points behind the Bruins (64 points), who have played two fewer games.
• Artemi Panarin leads the Rangers in scoring with 56 points (17G, 39A) through 40 games this season.
• Mika Zibanejad, Pavel Buchnevich and Kreider are tied for the Rangers lead in goals with 20 each.
• Adam Fox leads the team in assists with his 42 this season. The defenseman currently leads all defensemen in the NHL in points (47) and assists (42).
• Alexandar Georgiev will start in goal on Saturday. Georgiev has been in goal during the Rangers' two wins over the Islanders this season, allowing one goal over that span. The Russian netminder has a record of 8-5-2 through 16 starts, a 2.67 GAA and a .906 SV%.
• The Rangers recalled defenseman Tarmo Reunanen and forward Morgan Barron from Hartford on Friday. Quinn said there's a good chance both players could play on Saturday.