Game preview: New York Islanders face tough test against Stanley Cup champions

The New York Islanders take on the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers on Saturday night at UBS Arena.

The matchup is the first between these two inter-conference rivals. The Isles will be looking to build on the momentum gained from Friday night’s thrilling OT win over the New Jersey Devils. However, the Islanders will be playing on back-to-back nights, making Saturday night’s tilt against the Cats just a tad more challenging.

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

LAST GAME

The New York Islanders are coming off a big win on Friday night, meaning they’ll be playing on back-to-back nights for the first time this season. Bo Hovat’s goal lifted the Isles past the Devils. The Isles played a strong game throughout but faltered late in the third as they were unable to hold the lead. Still, the game was a significant turnaround compared to the 1-0 shutout loss against the Detroit Red Wings in the Isles’ previous outing.

Meanwhile, the Florida Panthers defeated the New York Rangers 3-1 on Thursday night. The Panthers played their usual tight-checking, hard-hitting style, holding the Rangers’ strong offense to just one goal. It’s worth pointing out that Sergei Bobrovsky essentially stole that game for the Cats, stymying the Rangers on numerous occasions.

HISTORICAL MATCHUP

Saturday night’s tilt marks the first time these two teams meet this season. Last year, the Isles went 2-0-1 against the Cats. The Isles won a 4-3 contest on December 2, then dropped a 3-2 OT decision on January 27, 2024, before taking another 3-2 game on March 28.

The Isles will be looking to build on those positive results from last season, keeping the Stanley Cup champs in check this year.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

The Islanders got plenty of production from their top two lines on Friday night. So, all eyes will be on the top six. In particular, fans should keep an eye on Simon Holmstrom and Maxim Tsyplakov as they have been relatively quiet of late. If they don’t get going, coach Patrick Roy may look to shuffle the lines as the game progresses.

Also, Semyon Varlamov should get the start with Ilya Sorokin playing the night before against the Devils. Beyond that, no lineup changes are expected.

As for the Panthers, the club continues to play without top-line center and captain Aleksander Barkov. Nevertheless, Anton Lundell has picked up the slack in his absence. Lundell has played with Eetu Luostarinen and Sam Reinhart on the top line. But it will be the second line of Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Bennett, and Matthew Tkachuk that should draw the most attention.

Bobrovsky should be back in the crease looking for this 401st career win. So, the Isles will be in tough against one of the league’s most successful goalies in recent history.