Game preview: New York Islanders look to continue momentum against the Ottawa Senators

The New York Islanders are back in action following their dramatic come-from-behind, shootout win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night. The Isles will take on the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Center.

The Isles will be looking to build on last game's momentum, hopefully stringing a winning streak together. Meanwhile, the Senators are fighting to get into the thick of the playoff picture in the Atlantic Division, as they currently sit fifth, two points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for third place.

Fans can catch the action on MSG+ and ESPN+. Puck drop is set for 7 pm EST.

LAST GAME

The Islanders showed tremendous resilience against the Penguins on Tuesday night. Down 3-1 heading into the third period, the Isles mounted a comeback, starting with Simon Holmstrom’s power play goal that brought the Islanders to within one. Then, the top line struck with JG Pageau tying the game at 12:48. Ilya Sorokin made 32 saves to keep the Islanders in the game.

As for the Sens, they lost a tough 5-1 decision against the Buffalo Sabres on the road. Sabres netminder Ukko-Pekka Luukkonnen was sharp, stopping 37 shots. Overall, the Sens have had several high-scoring games this season as their defense tends to be somewhat lax at times.

HISTORICAL MATCHUP

Thursday night’s matchup is the first meeting between these two clubs this season. Over the last 10 games, the Isles are 6-4 against Ottawa. The last time the teams faced one another was on March 16, 2024, a 4-3 loss in Ottawa. The loss snapped a two-game winning streak against the Sens. The Isles took last year’s season series 2-1. The Iles are 40-51-11-6 all-time against the Sens.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Isaiah George will be the player to watch against Ottawa. He had an impressive debut against the Penguins despite a couple of miscues. George is expected to line up with Noah Dobson amid Alexander Romanov’s absence. Similarly, the top line consisting of captain Anders Lee, Horvat, and Pageau has seemed to gel over the last couple of games. So, they could become a dangerous unit versus the Sens.

Ottawa boasts a number of young players. Tim Stutzle looks like a budding superstar, with captain Brady Tkachuk providing physicality and talent in one package. Plus, starting goaltender Linus Ullmark should provide a steady hand for the Sens.