Just one week after a 3-1 victory in San Jose, the New York Islanders host the Sharks to conclude the season series in a Saturday-night showdown.
- New York Islanders (3-3-1)
- San Jose Sharks (3-3)
- NHL, Oct. 21, 2017, 7 p.m. ET, MSG+
- Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York
The New York Islanders need to do one thing tonight after a close 4-3 shootout win over their crosstown rivals: don’t succumb to the Ranger-victory hangover.
The Islanders will have had a day of rest heading into tonight’s contest against the Sharks, who are coming off of a 3-0 win against the Devils Friday night — not to mention the timezone difference on the tail-end of a back-to-back for the Sharks too.
Martin Jones picked up the shutout and the win last night for San Jose, so Aaron Dell gets the call in net which is a rematch of the previous contest between both teams with Thomas Greiss as the confirmed starter for the Islanders. A fast start would really help the Islanders keep a tired Sharks team on their heels early on.
The Islanders powerplay finally converted on an opportunity in Thursday night’s contest, and Ryan Pulock was on the ice and on the score-sheet for the lone goal. With the first goal netted, that should help erase what has likely been a mental issue for the Islanders on the powerplay.
Speaking of Pulock, his (roughly) eight minutes of ice-time against the Rangers was a curious note. Head Coach Doug Weight didn’t showcase a lot of faith in Pulock, but it’ll be interesting to see if he remains in the lineup given his offensive contributions.
It’s likely that after being benched for most of the third period that Josh Ho-Sang will sit in tonight’s contest. Look for Anthony Beauvillier, who was scratched for the last three games, to re-enter the lineup in Ho-Sang’s place.
With the Sharks taking both games in regulation last season, the Islanders have an opportunity for a little bit of a comeback to sweep them this season. A Saturday night game should help attract a larger crowd as well.
Lastly, a note for those attending: be aware of the alternate routes for LIRR travel.