Game Preview: Islanders vs Hurricanes Apr. 14 2026

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (43-33-5) VS CAROLINA HURRICANES (52-22-7) 

7:00 PM | UBS ARENA | BUY TICKETS 

WATCH/STREAM: MSGSN 

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

The New York Islanders finish the 2025-26 campaign with a home contest against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night. 

The Islanders were eliminated from playoff contention following their 4-1 defeat by the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday night. Casey Cizikas scored New York’s lone goal, and Ilya Sorokin stopped 18 of Montreal’s 22 shots in the loss. 

This marks the second straight season the Isles will miss the playoffs.

PROJECTED LINES 

Here is how the Islanders lined up at Tuesday’s morning skate. 

Simon Holmstrom – Bo Horvat – Victor Eklund 
Brayden Schenn – Mathew Barzal – Cal Ritchie 
Anders Lee – JG Pageau – Emil Heineman 
Ondrej Palat – Casey Cizikas – Liam Foudy 

Adam Pelech – Matthew Schaefer 
Carson Soucy – Tony DeAngelo 
Isaiah George – Scott Mayfield 

David Rittich
Ilya Sorokin

EKLUND AND FOUDY RECALLED

The New York Islanders recalled Victor Eklund and Liam Foudy from the Bridgeport Islanders on Tuesday.  

Eklund, who the Islanders selected 16th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, has nine points (2G, 7A) and a shootout winner in his first seven games with Bridgeport. Eklund came over to North America on March 26 after completing his first Swedish Hockey League (SHL) campaign. The 19-year-old winger recorded 24 points (6G, 18A) through 43 games with  Djurgårdens IF. This is Eklund’s first NHL recall. 

Foudy has recorded 46 points (25G, 21A) through 58 games for Bridgeport this season, setting AHL career highs in goals and points. This is Foudy’s first recall this season, but the 26-year-old played two games with the Islanders last season (Oct. 22 and 25, 2024). The forward, who was drafted 18th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2018, signed with the Islanders as a free agent in 2024.

RITTICH EXPECTED TO START AGAINST THE HURRICANES 

David Rittich was the first off the ice at Tuesday's morning skate, suggesting he’ll get the start against the Canes. He previously started on Mar. 24 against the Chicago Blackhawks, but more recently played 12:06 in relief against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Mar. 30. Against the Hurricanes, the 33-year-old is 0-1-0 with a 6.00 GAA and .824 SV% this season and 5-4-0 with a 3.01 GAA and .905 SV% all-time. Rittich is 14-9-3 with a 2.78 GAA, .894 SV% and two shutouts in his 10th NHL season.

SCHAEFER ON RECORD WATCH 

Matthew Schaefer enters the season finale with 23 goals in his rookie campaign. He is tied with Brian Leetch (23) for the most tallies by a rookie defenseman in a single season in NHL history. Schaefer tied the record on Apr. 9 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.  

The 18-year-old is second on the team with 59 points (23G, 36A).

PELECH’S PERFECT ATTENDANCE 

Adam Pelech is expected to play in his 82nd game of the season on Tuesday, marking the first time in his 10-year NHL career he’ll play a full slate of games. The defenseman has 16 points (4G, 12A) this season, along with 66 hits and 124 blocked shots.

SEASON SERIES  

This is the third and final regular season meeting between the Isles and Hurricanes, but the first at UBS Arena this year. New York is 0-2-0 in the season series, with a 6-2 loss back on Oct. 30 and a 4-3 defeat most recently on Apr. 4. 

HURRICANES NOTES 

The Hurricanes are playing the back end of a back-to-back set and fell to the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 in a shootout on Monday night. Nikolaj Ehlers (1G, 1A) and Bradley Nadeau scored Carolina’s goals, while Brandon Bussi made 21 saves in the defeat. 

Carolina (111 points) is first place in the Metropolitan Division and clinched the top spot in the Eastern Conference, meaning they will hold home-ice advantage throughout the first three rounds of 2026 postseason. 

Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, Seth Jarvis, Shayne Gostibehere and Jaccob Slavin did not suit up against the Flyers on Monday night. Aho (80), Svechnikov (70) and Jarvis (66) are three of the Hurricanes’ top four point leaders this season. 

Ehlers enters Tuesday night having recorded multi-point performances in consecutive games for the second time this season, and on a three-game point streak. He has five points (1G, 5A) in this three-game stretch and is tied for second on the team with 70 points (25G, 45A) in this campaign. 

Logan Stankoven is riding a seven-game point streak, with 10 points (7G, 3A) in that stretch. He has three points (1G, 2A) over the two previous meetings against New York. Stankoven has 43 points (21G, 22A) this season. 

Jackson Blake is coming into Tuesday night on a six-game point streak, earning eight points (1G, 7A). He has a goal in each game against the Isles this season. Blake ranks fifth on Carolina with 53 points (22G, 31A) this year. 

Nadeau has played 11 games this season, recording three points (3G) in those contests. He managed a goal in the first meeting against the Islanders on Oct. 30.  

Carolina ranks last in the NHL with 911 blocked shots, but this is because they don’t make it easy to get shots off against them, allowing a league-low 23.9 shots on goal against per game. 

The Hurricanes rank second in the NHL with 2,616 shots, as they’re a high-volume shooting team. They have outshot the Islanders 74-44 over the previous two meetings. 

The Hurricanes’ power-play (25.0%) is tied for the fifth best in the NHL this season. 

Carolina’s penalty kill (80.3%) ranks 10th in the league and just behind the Isles (80.8%).