Game Preview: Islanders at Red Wings

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (19-11-3) AT DETROIT RED WINGS (18-12-3)

7 PM | LITTLE CAESARS ARENA

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The New York Islanders shoot for a fourth-straight win when they take on the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night at Little Caesars Arena.

The Islanders are coming off a 3-2 shootout win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday, which extended their home winning streak to five games. Emil Heineman buried the game-deciding goal in the shootout to give the Isles the two points after Anthony Duclair set up two early goals by Matthew Schaefer (PPG) and Calum Ritchie in regulation. Ilya Sorokin denied 32 of the Lightning’s 34 shots.

The Islanders have won six of their last seven games, including five against current division leaders. The Islanders (41 points) stand second in the Eastern Conference.

PROJECTED LINES

Here is how the Islanders lined up against the Lightning on Saturday. Check back after Tuesday’s morning skate for updates to the line combinations.

Jonathan Drouin – Mathew Barzal – Emil Heineman
Anthony Duclair – Cal Ritchie – Max Shabanov
Anders Lee – Jean-Gabriel Pageau – Simon Holmstrom
Kyle MacLean – Casey Cizikas – Marc Gatcomb

Matthew Schaefer – Ryan Pulock
Adam Pelech – Tony DeAngelo
Travis Mitchell – Scott Mayfield

BO HORVAT REMAINS OUT

Bo Horvat (day-to-day, lower-body) did not suit up for the Islanders’ most recent game against the Lightning.

Horvat suffered a lower-body injury in the second period and didn’t return in the 5-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 11.

Horvat leads the Islanders with 31 points (19G, 12A). His 19 goals are tied with Chicago’s Connor Bedard and Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby for the fourth most in the NHL this season.

SCHAEFER STRIKES AGAIN

Matthew Schaefer opened the scoring with a four-on-three, power-play goal on Saturday. The rookie is up to nine goals and tied for the third most goals by a defenseman this season. He leads all rookie defensemen in both goals (9) and assists (14).

Schaefer is also tied for the third most goals in a single season by a defenseman at 18 years old or younger in NHL history. Only Bobby Orr (13) and Phil Housley (17) sit in front of him on the list.

SOROKIN’S SUCCESS

Ilya Sorokin is a perfect 5-0-0 in the month of December. Sorokin owns a league-best .942 SV% since the start of the month, allowing just 10 goals on 172 shots.

The Islanders’ goaltender stopped all 29 shots to shut out the Red Wings in their last meeting. Sorokin has been strong against Atlantic Division opponents this season, posting a 5-2-1 record with a 2.11 GAA, .923 SV% and two shutouts.

SEASON SERIES

The Islanders are 2-0-0 against the Red Wings this season, posting a 7-2 win on Oct. 23 and a 5-0 victory on Nov. 20.

The Islanders will look to sweep the season series over the Red Wings on Tuesday.

RED WINGS NOTES

Detroit is coming off a 4-0 shutout victory against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday. Alex DeBrincat (2G, 1A) and Patrick Kane (1G, 1A) led the way with multi-point performances. John Gibson saved all 26 shots sent in his direction.

Gibson has won five straight games and has recorded two shutouts over that span. Gibson is 5-0-0 in December with a 2.00 GAA, a .940 SV% and two shutouts. Gibson was named the NHL’s Second Star of the Week for the week ending Dec. 14.

DeBrincat has 11 points (6G, 5A) in the last seven games, including three points (2G, 1A) in two of the last three. The ninth-year forward leads the Red Wings with 37 points, which ranks 16th in the NHL in scoring. His 18 goals ties Florida’s Brad Marchand and Edmonton’s Connor McDavid for fifth-most in the league.

After just four points in 14 games through November, Andrew Copp already has seven points (2G, 5A) in seven games in December.

Kane (upper body) will miss Tuesday’s contest against the Islanders. The 37-year-old is fourth on the team with 23 points (6G, 17A) this season. Kane has missed nine games this season.

The Red Wings own the ninth-best power-play percentage in the NHL at 22.3%. This number slightly improved to 25% in their last 10 games (7-for-28).

Detroit’s penalty kill ranks 18th (79.8%) in the league this season, but they’re stingier on the road, with a seventh-best PK (84.4%).

The Red Wings are 9-6-2 on the road this season but own a league-best 4-1-1 record in away games this month.