Game preview: New York Islanders look to stay hot as they host Vegas Golden Knights

The New York Islanders will look to stay on fire as they host the Vegas Golden Knights at UBS Arena on Wednesday night. The Isles saw their seven-game winning streak come to an end on Sunday night after losing 6-3 to the Florida Panthers.

The Islanders will now have the chance to start a new winning streak on Tuesday night. However, the Isles will have to do it without one of their top scorers, Mathew Barzal, who is day-to-day with an undisclosed lower-body injury.

The game will be available on ESPN+ and MSG+.

RECENT HISTORY

The New York Islanders are 7-3-0 in their last 10 games. The seven-game winning streak catapulted the Isles out of the Metro Division cellar and into fifth place. The Isles trail the Columbus Blue Jackets by four points for the fourth spot with one game in hand.

Meanwhile, the Vegas Golden Knights have been on a recent skid. They are 2-5-3 in their last 10 and head into Long Island on a three-game losing streak. The Golden Knights have seen their lead in the Pacific Division evaporate as the Edmonton Oilers have overtaken them for the top spot.

The Isles will be looking to continue their success on the Golden Knights following their 4-0 blanking back on January 9. Before that, the Isles had lost two in a row against Vegas. With a win, the Isles would sweep the season series with Vegas.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

The Islanders currently have a number of regulars on IR. Noah Dobson and Ryan Pulock join depth pieces Hudson Fasching and Marcus Hogberg on the shelf. Meanwhile, Barzal and Scott Mayfield are day-to-day, but there is no timeline for their return.

As such, new acquisitions Adam Boqvist, Scott Perunovich, and Tony DeAngelo will be looking to anchor the blue line until Dobson and Pulock return.

Up front, Simon Holmstrom will be looking to continue his strong play. Holmstrom has six points (3G, 3) in his last five games. While he didn’t score against the Cats on Sunday night, he’ll be looking to get back on the scoresheet against the Golden Knights.

Also, Marc Gatcomb will continue to make a case for himself on the Isles’ fourth line. He’s been playing well lately, proving grit and depth scoring. He should be another player to keep an eye on as the season wears on.

As for the Vegas Golden Knights, Jack Eichel is the team’s best player. He’s the club’s top-line center and will be eager to avenge the Knights’ shutout loss against the Isles in their last meeting. Also, newly acquired winger Brandon Saad will be looking to make an impression on his new team. So, Saad could be motivated to play hard as he looks to cement himself in Vegas’ lineup.

Overall, the Isles have a solid chance to start a new winning streak by beating up a struggling Vegas team. As long as the Isles continue what they’ve been doing lately, they’ll have a chance to pull out another key victory.