Islanders at Canadiens preview

ISLANDERS (22-18-4) at CANADIENS (18-20-5)
7:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, TSN2, RDS, NHL.TV

The Islanders have scored 12 goals in consecutive wins following a five-game losing streak. However, they will be without center Casey Cizikas, who sustained an upper-body injury in a 7-2 win at the New York Rangers on Saturday. Goalie Thomas Greiss will make his first start since Jan. 4
Montreal will be without forwards Phillip Danault and Andrew Shaw, who were injured in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Boston Bruins on Saturday.
The Canadiens are 2-0-1 in their past three games. They have eight goals in their past two games after scoring five in their previous six.

Players to watch

Islanders forward Mathew Barzal had five points (two goals, three assists) on Saturday and has seven (two goals, five assists) the past two games.
Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty has four points (three goals, one assist) during a four-game point streak. He has a goal in three straight games after scoring one in his previous 22.

They said it

"I'm more comfortable than our 48 points show about our team. I believe we're a good team, I believe we're a playoff team and we've got some big challenges with injuries, but we've got to win the next game, and win the next game." -- Islanders coach Doug Weight
"We like the way we've played the past three games. The Islanders are doing very well, they're scoring a lot of goals, so we'll have to be good defensively." -- Canadiens forward Jonathan Drouin

Islanders projected lineup

Anders Lee -- John Tavares -- Alan Quine
Anthony Beauvillier --
Mathew Barzal
-- Jordan Eberle
Michael Dal Colle
-- Brock Nelson -- Shane Prince
Jason Chimera --
Tanner Fritz
-- Cal Clutterbuck
Nick Leddy -- Scott Mayfield
Adam Pelech --
Sebastian Aho
Thomas Hickey -- Ryan Pulock
Thomas Greiss
Jaroslav Halak
Scratched:Dennis Seidenberg
Injured:Casey Cizikas (upper body), Calvin de Haan (upper body), Johnny Boychuk (lower body), Nikolay Kulemin (upper body), Josh Bailey (lower body), Andrew Ladd (lower body)

Canadiens projected lineup

Max Pacioretty -- Paul Byron -- Charles Hudon
Alex Galchenyuk -- Jonathan Drouin --
Daniel Carr
Artturi Lehkonen -- Tomas Plekanec -- Brendan Gallagher
Nicolas Deslauriers
-- Jacob De La Rose --
Byron Froese
Karl Alzner -- Jeff Petry
Victor Mete -- David Schlemko
Jordie Benn --
Jakub Jerabek
Carey Price
Antti Niemi
Scratched:Joe Morrow
Injured: Andrew Shaw (lower body), Phillip Danault (concussion-like symptoms), Shea Weber (foot), Ales Hemsky (upper body)

Status report

Fritz was recalled on an emergency basis from Bridgeport of the American Hockey League on Sunday. … Danault was struck on the head by a shot by Zdeno Chara on Saturday and taken off the ice on a stretcher. He was released from the hospital Sunday and returned home. The Canadiens say he has concussion-like symptoms and will be evaluated on a daily basis. Montreal claimed forward Logan Shaw on waivers from the Anaheim Ducks.

Stat pack

Beauviller has four points (three goals, one assist) in two games. Tavares has three points (one goal, two assists) in six games after having 18 (four goals, 14 assists) during a nine-game point streak. … Galchenyuk has goals in back-to-back games.