NHL On Tap: Islanders need more from forwards against Rangers

Welcome to the NHL On Tap. Three NHL.com writers will share what they are most looking forward to on the schedule each day. Today, their choices from three games Wednesday.

Islanders need more from their forwards

The New York Islanders (2-4-0) have some scoring issues to work out entering their game against the New York Rangers (7:30 p.m. ET; TNT, TVAS). Of their 19 goals, seven have been scored by defensemen, tied with the Columbus Blue Jackets for first in the NHL. But that means 15 forwards have combined for 12 goals in six games. Anders Lee has four, but the only other Islanders forwards with multiple goals are Oliver Wahlstrom (three) and Anthony Beauvillier (two). Brock Nelson, who led them with 37 last season, does not have a goal. Neither do Jean-Gabriel Pageau (18 goals last season), Mathew Barzal (15) or Kyle Palmieri (15). Could a game against the rival Rangers be the spark? The Rangers (3-2-2) are in the second of a back-to-back set after a 3-2 shootout loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday. Jaroslav Halak will likely start for the Rangers; the former Islanders goalie has an .852 save percentage in two starts. -- Adam Kimelman, deputy managing editor

Binnington backbone for Blues

Jordan Binnington will go for his fourth win without a loss to start the season when the St. Louis Blues host the Edmonton Oilers (8 p.m. ET; SN, SN1, BSMW, ESPN+ SN NOW). Binnington has been a fortress for the Blues (3-1-0), stopping 78 of 83 shots for a .940 save percentage. Thomas Greiss played in a 4-0 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Monday. St. Louis has allowed 2.25 goals per game (third in NHL) but will be tested by the high-flying Oilers (3-3-0), who are coming off an impressive 6-3 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday. As has been the case for the past several seasons, Edmonton is being paced by forwards Leon Draisaitl (11 points; three goals, eight assists) and Connor McDavid (10 points; five goals, five assists). -- Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial

Lightning not panicking

This is supposed to be a lopsided matchup (10 p.m. ET; TNT, SN360, TVAS, BSSUNX). On one hand, you have the Tampa Bay Lightning, who won the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021, returned to the Stanley Cup Final last season and are expected to contend again. On the other, you have the Anaheim Ducks, who missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs the past four seasons. But while the Ducks are 1-4-1, the Lightning are 3-4-0, come off a 4-2 loss at the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday and play the second of a back to back on the road across the continent. This is a challenge for the Lightning to get up for a game in October and get their game in order, and an opportunity for the Ducks to defeat a top opponent. -- Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist

Wednesday games

New York Rangers at New York Islanders (7:30 p.m. ET; TNT, TVAS)
The Rangers are 0-1-2 in their past three games and the Islanders are 0-3-0. Artemi Panarin leads the Rangers with 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in seven games; Lee leads the Islanders with seven points (four goals, three assists) in six. Four defensemen have more points than Adam Fox of the Rangers since he entered the NHL in 2019-20: John Carlson (196), Roman Josi (195), Victor Hedman (190) and Cale Makar (187).
Edmonton Oilers at St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. ET; SN, SN1, BSMW, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Blues defeated the Oilers 2-0 in Edmonton on Saturday, the only game this season Draisaitl did not have a point and the first McDavid didn't get one. Binnington made 23 saves and can become the sixth goalie with multiple shutouts against McDavid, Draisaitl and the Oilers (Mike Smith, Jonathan Quick, Connor Hellebuyck, Antti Raanta and Juuse Saros have two each). St. Louis has played four games, two fewer than any team in the NHL, but this will be the second of four games in six nights.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Anaheim Ducks (10 p.m. ET; TNT, SN360, TVAS, BSSUNX)
Nikita Kucherov has eight points (one goal, seven assists) on a five-game point streak for Tampa Bay. Corey Perry will play his fourth game against Anaheim, where he played the first 14 seasons of his NHL career and had 776 points (372 goals, 404 assists) in 988 games; he has one assist against his former team. The Ducks have lost five straight (0-4-1) since a 5-4 overtime win against the Seattle Kraken on opening night Oct. 12. They have been outscored 23-9 in regulation and overtime during the stretch.