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NY Islanders battle Flames in Saturday matinee at Scotiabank Saddledome

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Nov 19, 2024; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri (91) and New York Islanders center Casey Cizikas (53) face off for the puck during the third period at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Nov 19, 2024; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Calgary Flames center Nazem Kadri (91) and New York Islanders center Casey Cizikas (53) face off for the puck during the third period at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images | Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

The New York Islanders continue their seven-game road trip Saturday afternoon with a matinee matchup against the Calgary Flames.

The Islanders are coming off one of their most notable wins of the season, a 1-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night. The win snapped Connor McDavid’s 20-game point streak and marked New York’s first shutout win in Edmonton since 1983. Anthony Duclair scored the game’s only goal on the Islanders’ lone power play, while Ilya Sorokin stopped all 35 shots he faced to record his NHL-leading fifth shutout of the season.

Sorokin, who has started heavily during the trip, will get the afternoon off as David Rittich is set to start in goal against his former team. Rittich spent five seasons with Calgary to begin his NHL career and enters the game with an 11-5-3 record, a 2.40 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage this season. He is 3-0-0 with a 1.30 GAA and .953 save percentage against Pacific Division opponents but is still seeking his first career win against the Flames.

Mathew Barzal reached a major milestone in Edmonton, picking up his 500th career point with an assist on Duclair’s goal. Barzal leads the Islanders with 38 points and has points in five of his last six games. Duclair has also heated up in January, scoring in back-to-back games for the first time since March 2024 and leading the team with five goals this month.

Connor Zary, Casey Cizikas
Calgary Flames v New York Islanders | Bruce Bennett/GettyImages

Calgary enters Saturday’s contest off a 3-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, with all three goals coming via special teams. The Flames have won two of their last seven games and are beginning a five-game homestand after a lengthy road trip.

Veteran Mikael Backlund scored a shorthanded game-winner against Chicago and leads Calgary with five points over the past three games. Connor Zary carries a four-game point streak into the matchup, while Blake Coleman remains sidelined on injured reserve.

Saturday’s game marks the first of two meetings between the teams this season, with the rematch scheduled for March 14 at UBS Arena.

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