Game Preview: Islanders vs Wild

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (22-17-3) VS MINNESOTA WILD (22-14-4)
7:30 PM | UBS ARENA| BUY TICKETS
WATCH: MSGSN | MSGGO | ESPN+
LISTEN: 88.7FM | 103.9FM | 1050 AM
The New York Islanders continue their five-game homestand as they welcome the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night at 7:30, marking the first time the two teams will cross paths this season. Despite dropping both games in last year's season series, the Islanders are 3-2 against the Wild in their previous five matchups.
Both teams are coming off shootout losses, with the Islanders falling to the Dallas Stars 2-1 on Tuesday night at UBS Arena. Anders Lee scored for New York, but Jason Robertson's first period tally and his game-deciding shootout winner was enough to lift Dallas to the victory. Ilya Sorokin made 25 saves through 65 minutes to salvage a point for the Islanders.

The Wild lost 4-3 in the shootout to the New York Rangers on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden. Jon Merrill, Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello scored for Minnesota, but New York came from behind twice to push overtime, with goals from K'Andre Miller, Adam Fox and Filip Chytil. After five minutes of scoreless three-on-three play, Kaapo Kakko and Artemni Panarin bested the Wild in three rounds of the shootout.

ISLANDERS NOTES:

• Aatu Raty was loaned to Bridgeport, the team announced on Wednesday, after he was a healthy scratch for the Islanders on Tuesday night. The 20-year-old 2021 2nd round draft pick (52nd overall) scored two goals in his first seven NHL games. Raty put up 12 points (5G, 7A) in 23 games played in Bridgeport this season.
  - The team also announced that Robin Salo was loaned to Bridgeport after recording four points (2G, 2A) for the Islanders this season. Salo has not been in the lineup for the past eight games.
  - Anders Lee was the lone goal scorer for the Islanders in Tuesday's 2-1 shootout loss, burying his 15th goal of the season on the power play, tying Brock Nelson for most in goals on the Islanders.
  - "We played well, we just came up short getting that extra one before the shootout," Lee said. "It was a good rebound game from the trip. From Sorokin] on out, everyone was solid."
  - Ilya Sorokin has only allowed one goal in each of his last four home games, per team statistician Eric Hornick. Sorokin's save percentage improved to .925 on the season, after stopping 25-of-26 shots on Tuesday night.
  - "Sorokin was great," Noah Dobson said. "It's just what we expect of him. Whenever we make mistakes, he's there to bail us out."
  ISLES VS WILD
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  GAME EXTRAS
  Pucks and Paws
  Reverse Retro Jersey
  Talkin' Isles
  - The Islanders went 3-for-14 on the power play in their last six matchups.
  - The Islanders are fourth in the NHL in blocked shots (693). Scott Mayfield leads the team in with 86.

WILD NOTES:

• The Wild fell in a shootout for the second time this season in Tuesday's 4-3 loss against the Rangers. Minnesota blew a 2-0 lead in the second period and carried a 3-2 lead with 6:25 to play in the third.
  "We gave ourselves a chance," Head Coach Dean Evason said after Tuesday's shootout loss. "In the end, we have to clean up the turnovers that allow teams to gain momentum back on us."
  - Minnesota is three-for-five in shootouts this season, collecting eight possible points out of 10 in the shootout. The Wild are first in the NHL in shootout goals (9).
  - Brandon Duhaime played in his third game back on Tuesday after missing 18 games with an upper body injury. He scored a goal and took nine shots over the span of those three games since his return.
  - With the return of Mats Zuccarello (upper body) and Jordan Greenway (upper body) on Tuesday, the Wild went without any injuries, marking the first time the whole team was completely healthy all season.
  - Kirill Kaprizov sweeps most major categories on the Wild, leading in goals (24), assists (25), points (49), power play goals (11) and game winners (4). The 25-year-old winger picked up four goals in his last four games, and is two goals away from his milestone 100th NHL career goal.
  - Minnesota's tandem of netminders is back in full strength. Marc-Andre Fleury was not in the lineup on Sunday against the St. Louis Blues, forcing the emergency recall of Zane McIntyre, but Fleury returned to the team on Tuesday. He has a record of 13-8-3 this season with a .902 save percentage.
  - The Wild have a record of 10-6-3 on the road this season.