Robin Lehner will make his debut in goal with the New York Islanders when they host the San Jose Sharks at Barclays Center on Monday. Lehner, 27, signed a one-year contract with the Islanders on July 3 after playing the past three seasons with the Buffalo Sabres. The Sharks will be without forward Joe Thornton after he was placed on injured reserve Sunday. Thornton has an infection in his right knee and is on antibiotics, coach Peter DeBoer said Monday. Thornton experienced swelling in the knee after a 3-2 overtime win at the Los Angeles Kings on Friday.
Players to watch
Sharks forward Evander Kane has scored in back-to-back games. Islanders forward Valtteri Filppula has scored in each of their first two games.
They said it
"I think our lineup can cause problems in terms of trying to match up, and I think obviously that's a positive. It's a long season. We're only two games in but I see a lot of potential for us to get better as a line." -- Sharks forward Evander Kane "I feel I'm ready to play. There's just a few things that we're still working on that's going to come with time. I'm changing a few things that I've been doing my whole life; it's not an overnight thing. But I feel ready. I'm going to do the best I can." -- Islanders goalie Robin Lehner
With Thornton on injured reserve, the Sharks recalled Gambrell from San Jose of the American Hockey League on Sunday. Gambrell, 22, was a second-round pick (No. 60) by the Sharks at the 2016 NHL Draft. … Kuhnhackl and Mayfield are expected to make their season debuts for the Islanders.
Stat pack
Kane has 16 points (11 goals, five assists) in 19 games with San Jose since being acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres on Feb. 26. … Pavelski is three points shy of 700 in his NHL career. … The Islanders swept the two-game season series against the Sharks last season.
