Game preview: New York Islanders visit Dallas Stars (Game 2)

The New York Islanders will visit the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center on Saturday night. The Isles are coming off a disappointing 5-4 OT loss to the Utah Hockey Club on Thursday night. The Islanders blew a late 4-3 lead, dropping the game 5-4 in OT.

The Isles now play their first road game of the season, hoping to notch their first win. Meanwhile, the Dallas Stars are one of the Western Conference’s top teams. So, the matchup should be a challenging one for the New York Islanders.

Puck Drop is scheduled for 8 pm EST. Fans can catch the action on ESPN/ESPN+ and MSG+.

LAST GAME

The New York Islanders played a solid game overall against the Utah Hockey Club. The club got a late goal from Maxim Tsyplakov to take a 4-3 lead with less than three minutes to go. However, the familiar in consistency reared its ugly head, causing the Isles to give the lead right back.

Then, the Isles could not hold off the Hockey Club in overtime, giving up a relatively weak goal to take the loss. While the Islanders got a point out of the game, it was a discouraging result as the Isles blew yet another third-period lead. Hopefully, the Isles can lock the game down in the third, if the Isles play with the lead.

As for the Dallas Stars, they edged the Nashville Predators in their season opener last Thursday. The game was an entertaining one, with the Predators unveiling their new-look lineup this season. The Stars are one of the top teams in the West, thanks to their combination of physical play and elite-level talent.

HISTORICAL MATCHUP

Saturday night’s matchup marks the first meeting between the two clubs this season. Last year, the New York Islanders took both games 3-2. In particular, the teams’ last meeting on February 26 featured the Isles scoring three power play goals to grab the win.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

For the Isles, all eyes will be on Tsyplakov as he continues to dazzle fans with his talents. He’s proven to be a good choice for the Isles as he has shown a seamless transition to the NHL. Also, the fourth line should draw some attention as Kyle MacLean will be centering the line with Casey Cizikas and Oliver Wahlstom on the wings. Of course, the top line should provide plenty of excitement, with Anthony Duclair turning into an electrifying presence on the ice. Semyon Varlamov should get the start as there is no word yet if Ilya Sorokin is ready to see action on the ice.

The Stars are loaded with talent. Roope Hintz, Jason Robertson, Matt Duchene, and Miro Heiskanen should all deliver an exciting performance. But the player to watch for Dallas will be netminder Jake Oettinger. While he’s a talented goaltender, his performance tends to be relatively inconsistent at times. If he’s on his game Saturday night, the Isles could be in for a tough contest.