Islanders at Senators

ISLANDERS (23-21-5) at SENATORS (20-23-3)

Islanders projected lineup
Anthony Beauvillier -- Mathew Barzal -- Casey Cizikas
Anders Lee -- Brock Nelson -- Kyle Palmieri
Zach Parise -- Jean-Gabriel Pageau -- Josh Bailey
Matt Martin -- Aatu Raty -- Simon Holmstrom
Adam Pelech -- Ryan Pulock
Alexander Romanov -- Scott Mayfield
Samuel Bolduc -- Sebastian Aho
Semyon Varlamov
Ilya Sorokin
Scratched: Ross Johnston, Noah Dobson, Parker Wotherspoon
Injured: Oliver Wahlstrom (lower body), Cal Clutterbuck (upper body), Hudson Fasching (lower body)
Senators projected lineup
Brady Tkachuk --
Tim Stutzle
-- Mathieu Joseph
Alex DeBrincat --
Ridly Greig
-- Claude Giroux
Derick Brassard -- Shane Pinto -- Drake Batherson
Parker Kelly -- Dylan Gambrell -- Austin Watson
Thomas Chabot -- Nick Holden
Jake Sanderson -- Travis Hamonic
Erik Brannstrom -- Nikita Zaitsev
Cam Talbot
Anton Forsberg
Scratched: Jacob Lucchini
Injured: Tyler Motte (finger), Artem Zub (lower body), Josh Norris (shoulder), Mark Kastelic (undisclosed)
Status report
Varlamov will start for the first time since he made 20 saves in a 4-1 loss to the Boston Bruins on Jan. 18; Sorokin started the previous three games. ... Bolduc, who made his NHL debut in a 5-2 loss at the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday, could get some time on the power play, Islanders coach Lane Lambert said. … Greig will make his NHL debut after being recalled from Belleville of the American Hockey League on Monday. ... Talbot did not take part in the Senators' morning skate Wednesday, which typically means he will start. … Kastelic, a center, is "a bit banged up" according to Ottawa coach D.J. Smith, and will not play. ... Gambrell will take Kastelic's spot on the fourth line. … Zaitsev will return after missing 12 games with a lower-body injury. … Motte, a forward who has missed 13 games, is "real close" to returning, Smith said.