Hogberg returns and Boqvist to play center as NY Islanders visit Anaheim Ducks

The New York Islanders (29-26-7) aim for back-to-back on Sunday night when they take on the Anaheim Ducks (27-28-7) at the Honda Center. The Isles are coming off a 4-2 win over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night, while the Ducks fell 4-3 to the St. Louis Blues on Friday night.

Goaltender Marcus Hogberg, who skated with the team on Saturday and was activated earlier in the day, will get the start for the Islanders, spelling Ilya Sorokin, who had made 10 straight starts and 32 of the last 38 games for the Islanders. Hogberg had been playing exceedingly well before his injury, allowing eight goals on 151 shots for a 1.45 GAA and a .947 save percentage. The GAA and save percentage are the best in Islander history for any goalie who played multiple games.

Hours before the game, we learned that center Kyle MacLean, would be out of the lineup due to illness. Following the trade of Brock Nelson, the Islanders are thin on center depth, leading to head coah Patrick Roy asking defenseman Adam Boqvist, who scored a power-play goal last night, to center the fourth line. "There's a first for everything," said Roy before the game. "I kind of asked him," Roy added. "He said whatever helps the team to win. That's what we want from our guys."

This is the second and final matchup between the two teams this season. The Ducks defeated the Isles 3-1 on Oct. 29 at UBS Arena, as the Isles allowed power-play goals to Leo Carlsson and Troy Terry. The Ducks' power play (12.6%) ranks 32nd in the NHL.