Game preview: Decimated New York Islanders battle Pittsburgh Penguins

The New York Islanders are back on the ice on Tuesday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins at UBS Arena. The Isles are coming from a nightmarish week that saw the club lose three more top players. In particular, the Islanders’ defense has been decimated by injuries, testing the team’s depth.

As for the Penguins, the club has put together back-to-back wins, albeit against rebuilding teams in the Anaheim Ducks and Montreal Canadiens. This Penguins-Islanders matchup should prove challenging for the Isles, given the rash of injuries plaguing the team.

Fans can catch the action on MSG+ and ESPN+.

LAST GAME

The New York Islanders’ last outing was a 5-2 loss to crosstown rivals, the New York Rangers. The game was much closer than the score suggested, but in the end, the Isles could not overcome the Rangers’ strong all-around game. Already down three regular defensemen, coach Patrick Roy shorted his blueline after benching Samuel Bolduc following a costly turnover. The Isles made a strong effort, putting 37 shots on goal. But couldn’t get past Igor Shesterkin, leaving the Isles with another loss.

Meanwhile, the Penguins beat the Montreal Canadiens 3-1 on Saturday night. For the second game in a row, captain Sidney Crosby led the way with two goals. Crosby’s scoring has been a blessing as the Pens have been unable to get regular scoring from anyone else this season. It’s also worth pointing out the team has gotten solid goaltending from Alex Nedeljkovic amid Tristan Jarry’s struggles.

HISTORICAL MATCHUP

Tuesday night’s tilt marks the first meeting between these two clubs this season. Last season, the two division rivals split the season series. The Pittsburgh Penguins won the first two with the New York Islanders taking the last two by identical 5-4 scores.

It’s worth highlighting that the Pens routed the Islanders 7-0 in their first matchup last year at UBS Arena on December 27, 2023.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

On offense, the Islanders’ second line consisting of Brock Nelson, Kyle Palmieri, and Maxim Tsyplakov has been the most dangerous. As such, this trio will be the one to keep an eye on as two-thirds of the top line is on LTIR.

On defense, the player to watch will be Samuel Bolduc. Bolduc was rotating in and out of the third pairing as there’s a possibility Alexander Romanov may play on Tuesday night.

For Pittsburgh, the player to watch is Crosby. He’s getting hot and could be the difference-maker against the Isles. Similarly, talented blueliners Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson could deliver strong performances.