Game Preview: Islanders vs Red Wings

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (23-22-5) VS RED WINGS (20-18-8)
7 PM ET | UBS ARENA | BUY TICKETS
WATCH: ESPN | ESPN+
LISTEN: 88.7FM | 103.9FM | 1050 AM
The New York Islanders return home to host the Detroit Red Wings on Friday night, in the first game of a back-to-back set heading into the All-Star break. The Red Wings lead the season series 1-0.
The Islanders are looking to bounce back after falling 2-1 to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday night, and dropping both games in a short road trip in Ontario. Brock Nelson provided the only offensive tally for New York, while Shane Pinto and Claude Giroux (PPG) scored for Ottawa. Semyon Varlamov made 36 saves in his third start since Dec. 17, while Cam Talbot and Anton Forsberg put up a combined total of 35 saves. Forsberg entered the game in the second period to relive Forsberg, who did not return after a lower-body injury.

The Red Wings are coming off a 4-3 OT victory against the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night, in the first half of a back-to-back set for Detroit. Michael Rasmussen (1G, 1A), Jonatan Berggren (PPG), Oskar Sundqvist, scored for the Red Wings in regulation, with Robby Fabri netting the game-winner in overtime. Michael Pezzetta and Rafael Harvey-Pinard (2G, 1A) scored for the Canadiens to push overtime. Ville Husso stopped 20-of-23 shots in the win, while Jake Allen turned aside 38-of-42 in the loss, marking his third-highest number of saves on the season.
The Islanders were shut out 3-0 by the Red Wings on Nov. 5. Despite the loss, the Islanders hold a 14-9-2 over the Red Wings in their previous 25 meetings spanning nine seasons. According to team statistician Eric Hornick, the Islanders have won their last five home games against Detroit, scoring at least four goals in each victory.
The Islanders (51 points) are one point up on the Red Wings (50 points), though Detroit has three games in hand.

ISLANDERS NOTES:

• The Islanders winless stretch reached six games (0-4-2) with Wednesday's loss to the Senators. Over their last 10 contests, the Islanders are 1-6-3, averaging 1.6 goals per game.
  "We're pressing... we just can't find a goal when we need it," Head Coach Lane Lambert said following Wednesday's loss. "We'll come out with our best effort on Friday."
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  - Kyle Palmieri has recorded an assist both of his games since returning to the lineup on Jan. 23 after an upper-body injury kept him out for 17 straight games.
  - Noah Dobson missed the last two games, while Hudson Fasching (lower body), Cal Clutterbuck (upper body) and Oliver Wahlstrom (lower body) remain on IR.
  - Samuel Bolduc played in his first two NHL games, taking three shots over both games and averaging 16:17 TOI.
  - Brock Nelson is riding a four-game point streak (3G, 1A) after scoring on Wednesday. With 20 career points (12G, 8A) against Detroit, including a pair of goals last season in a 5-2 victory on Mar. 24. With an upcoming back-to-back on home ice, Nelson is looking for a strong team effort before he heads to Florida to participate in NHL All Star Weekend.
  "Right now, we're in a tough spot," Nelson said. "We have two games at home before the [All Star] break. We want to go and get those two games, give ourselves a chance to reset and make a good push."
  - The Islanders have a 13-9-2 record on home ice this season. The back-to-back set on Friday and Saturday at UBS will mark the only time this season the Islanders will host consecutive games.
  - The Islanders power play went 0-for-20 in their last eight games and is 3-for-59 dating back to Dec. 10. Since Dec. 10 the Islanders penalty kill remains strong at 83.6%, good for seventh in the NHL.

RED WINGS NOTES:

• Mortiz Seider had a three-point night on Thursday against Montreal, all assists, including a helper on Robby Fabbri's overtime goal, recording the third three-assist game of his career. Per NHL Public Relations, Seider became the first defenseman in franchise history with three such performances at age 21 or younger. The German defenseman is in the middle of his second season with the Red Wings, with 24 points (3G, 22A) on the season. He had 50 points (7G, 43A) in his first NHL season last year.
  - Captain Dylan Larkin leads the Red Wings in assists (28), points (43) and is tied for the lead goals (15) with Lucas Raymond. The 26-year-old has a career-high PPG with seven this season. Larkin notched his 400th career NHL point in Tuesday's 3-2 overtime victory against the San Jose Sharks.
  - Michael Rasmussen has four points (2G, 2A) over his last two games, while sporting a career-high 14 assists.
  - Andrew Copp is heating up for the Red Wings as of late, with two goals in his last six games, including the overtime winner against the Sharks on Tuesday, 25 seconds into the extra frame. The Red Wings signed him to a five-year deal last summer, but the 28-year-old forward missed training camp and pre-season recovering from surgery. Copp has 26 points (5G, 21A) so far this season.
  - Filip Zadina is still on IR after suffering an injury in the matchup against the Islanders on Nov. 5, after playing only nine games this season. Head Coach Derek Lalonde is hopeful about his return to the lineup before the break, as Zadina is awaiting medical clearance from the team's staff.
  "I do feel good but it's up to them right now when they decide if I'll be cleared," Zadina said on Monday. "But I believe it could be pretty soon."