Game Preview: New York Islanders face Washington Capitals in crucial showdown

The New York Islanders face off against the Washington Capitals in a crucial Black Friday showdown at the Capital One Arena.

The Isles (8-10-5) enter the game tied with the Columbus Blue Jackets for sixth in the Metro Division. As such, this matchup against the Capitals (15-6-1) could help the Islanders get back into the playoff race in the Metro as they are within striking distance of the fourth-place New York Rangers.

Fans can catch all the action for this Friday afternoon game on MSG+ and ESPN+.

LAST GAME

The Islanders lost a tough 6-3 decision against the Boston Bruins on Wednesday night at home. The game featured another third-period meltdown for Patrick Roy’s crew. While the Isles didn’t technically blow a third-period lead, they entered the third tied at three. However, the wheels came off as Boston pressured and the Islanders caved. The Isles did pressure down the stretch, but they were unable to find the back of the net.

As for the Capitals, they are coming off a 5-4 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. They played a solid game on the heels of a 4-1 win against the Florida Panthers. The back-to-back wins against Florida teams were an encouraging sign for the Capitals as they had dropped two straight against the Colorado Avalanche and New Jersey Devils.

HISTORICAL MATCHUP

It’s been a while since these two teams last met. The previous meeting between the Isles and Capitals was on December 29, 2023, a 5-1 win for the Isles at Capital One Arena. That win snapped a two-game losing streak against the Caps.

Both clubs have split their last 10 regular-season meetings with the New York Islanders getting a slight edge in goals at 27-25. The shots are essentially even, with the Caps slightly outshooting the Islanders 296-291.

Interestingly enough, there have been three 5-1 games and two 4-1 matchups over the last 10 between the Islanders and Capitals.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

For the New York Islanders, the players to watch are in the bottom six. Pierre Engvall has cooled off since rejoining the big club. Also, Simon Holmstrom and Oliver Wahlstrom have not been overly impressive thus far. The two bottom-six centers, Casey Cizikas and Kylas MacLean have been serviceable but could step up more to help solidify the team’s performance down the stretch. Matt Martin has been a good addition from a leadership perspective, despite not producing much offensively.

Meanwhile, the Alex Ovechkin-less Capitals have been getting contributions from various players throughout the lineup, particularly Pierre-Luc Dubois who seems to have found success in Washington. Additionally, the goalie tandem of Charlie Lindgren and Logan Thompson has been largely effective this season.