Islanders vs Panthers Game Two: Odds, Lineups, TV and more

The New York Islanders look to take a commanding 2-0 series lead against the Panthers today at noon. Here is everything to know about the matchup.

The New York Islanders have the chance to take full control of their five-game Stanley Cup Qualifier series against the Florida Panthers today in a matinee matchup.

On Saturday afternoon, the Islanders played an all-around great game to beat the Panthers 2-1, in Toronto, to take a 1-0 series lead.

Very rarely do we get to see a midweek playoff game with a puck drop at 12:00 PM. So whether you are sitting at home or streaming from work, this one should be a fun one to watch.

Just like game one, the Islanders will be the home team in this game. This will allow the Isles and Barry Trotz to get the last change to get the matchups they want to stifle Florida’s offense.

Tale of the Tape

Betting Odds

The Islanders come into today’s game as the favorites, courtesy of the Action Network.

This should come as no surprise after the Islanders won game one and are now 4-0-0 this season/playoffs against the Florida Panthers.

Every game this season has been close between the Isles and Panthers, but I do expect the Islanders to jump on the Panthers from the start and take a commanding lead in this series.

Projected Lineups

The Islanders are only expected to make one change to their lineup that got the victory on Saturday: Johnny Boychuk is not expected to play after being injured in the second period of game one.

According to Barry Trotz, Andy Greene and Noah Dobson will both take warmups today and one of the two will dress in Boychuk’s place.

Most would expect Greene to play rather than Dobson, due to Greene’s playoff experience.

Other than the one change on defense, the Isles lineup will stay the same for today’s encounter.

Semyon Varlamov will get the start again in net, after a great performance on Saturday afternoon. The blue and orange netminder stopped 27 of 28 shots in game one. In Varlamov’s 100 minutes of action (including the exhibition game) since the Islanders have returned, he has only allowed one goal on 47 shots.

Also, Tom Kuhnhackl is expected to stay in the lineup after a strong performance on Saturday. He posted a +1 plus-minus, with 11:33 in total ice time.

The Islanders are projected to lineup like this:

Lee-Barzal-Eberle
Beauvillier-Nelson-Bailey
Kuhnhackl-Pageau-Brassard
Martin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck

Pelech-Pulock
Toews-Mayfield
Leddy-Greene

Varlamov (Greiss)

The Panthers are expected to make a couple of changes to their lineup that lost on Saturday. The Panthers dressed eleven forwards and seven defensemen, but today it looks like the Panthers will be back to 12 forwards and six defensemen.

Lucas Wallmark did not play in game one and is expected to be back in the lineup in place of Riley Stillman. Wallmark is expected to center the third line between Brian Boyle and Brett Connolly.

Sergei Bobrovsky will remain in between the pipes for game two.

The Panthers are projected to lineup like this:

Vatrano-Barkov-Dadonov
Huberdeau-Haula-Hoffman
Boyle-Wallmark-Connolly
Sceviour-Acciari-Pysyk

Weegar-Ekblad
Stillman-Stralman
Yandle-Matheson

Bobrovsky (Driedger)

Where to Catch the Game

TV: MSG, MSG+, NBCSN, SN, TVAS, FS-F, NHL.TV

RADIO: 88.7FM 103.9FM 98.7FM