NEW YORK ISLANDERS NOTES:
TEAM NOTES
TONIGHT’S MATCHUP
Tonight, the New York Islanders visit the Vancouver Canucks in the first of two matchups between the two clubs this season. The last time the Islanders visited Rogers Arena was January 3, 2023, when Mathew Barzal, Casey Cizikas and Jean-Gabriel Pageau each recorded multi-point games in a 6-2 Islander win. Tonight, the Islanders will look to earn their first win of the season against a Pacific Division opponent (the Islanders finished the 2022-23 campaign with a 10-6-0 record against Pacific opponents) and their third straight win against the Canucks on the road. The Islanders have recorded points in each of their last seven visits to Rogers Arena. They enter tonight’s matchup with a 5-0-2 record on the road against Vancouver since March 1, 2016. The Islanders will also look to snap a five-game losing streak tonight.
SHG
Islanders forward Simon Holmstrom scored his second shorthanded goal in three games on Nov. 9 in Boston. He is one of only two Islanders skaters in club history to record two of their first ten career goals shorthanded (D. Plante), and is one of ten NHLers this season to score shorthanded twice. The Tranas, SWE native has recorded three goals in his last six games.
PPG
Islanders forward Oliver Wahlstrom found the back of the net on Nov. 7 vs. Minnesota, his first goal since Dec. 9, 2022, and his first power play goal since Nov. 14, 2022. 11 of the Portland, ME native’s 33 career goals have been scored on the power play (33.3%). Thursday night’s matchup in Boston was the second time this season that the Islanders scored shorthanded and on the power play in the same game (Also Oct. 30, 2023 vs. Detroit).
SCORING FIRST
The Islanders 5-1-3 when they score first this season. They have scored first in nine of their 14 games in 2023-24, and have collected at least one point in eight of those nine games. The Islanders have also outscored opponents 14-7 in the first period through 14 games. Their seven goals allowed in the first frame are tied with Boston for second-fewest in the NHL (Pittsburgh, six).
POINTS LEADER
Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson recorded his second point streak of three games or longer this season from Nov. 4- Nov. 9. From Oct. 17 – 26, Dobson matched his career-best as he recorded a five-game point streak (two goals, four assists). He has recorded five points (two goals, three assists) in his last seven games, including his 99th career assist on Brock Nelson’s power play goal on Nov. 9 in Boston. Five of Dobson’s eight assists this season have been recorded on the power play. He leads the Islanders in points (12) and assists (eight) through 14 games this season. With his next assist, Dobson can become the second-youngest defenseman in Islanders franchise history to reach 100 in his career, joining Denis Potvin. This season, the Summerside, PEI native became the first Islander defenseman to record 12 points (four goals, eight assists) through the first 12 games of the season (Oct. 14 – Nov. 9) since Alexei Zhitnik did so in 2005-06. The 23-year-old scored his 34th career goal on Nov. 7, second-most by any Islanders defenseman before their 24th birthday (Potvin). He also passed Adrian Aucoin (33) for 11th-most goals in club history by a defenseman. He leads the Islanders in TOI/game through 12 games this season, with 24:30 average time on ice per game. He recorded over 25 minutes of ice time in five straight games from Oct. 24 – Nov. 2, the first Islander to do so since Travis Hamonic in 2016. The season, Dobson also became the first Islander to skate at least 24 minutes in eight straight games since 2014 (also Hamonic, nine).
DIVISION RECORDS
DIVISION RECORD NEXT OPPONENT LAST OPPONENT
Metropolitan 2-1-2 Nov. 22 vs. PHI Nov. 11 vs. WSH (L)
Atlantic 2-2-1 Nov. 24 at OTT Nov. 9 at BOS (L)
Pacific 0-1-0 Nov. 15 at VAN Nov. 13 at EDM (L)
Central 1-2-0 Jan. 2 vs. COL Nov. 7 vs. MIN (L)
VANCOUVER CANUCKS NOTES:
MATCHUP INFO
• Tonight marks the first of two meetings between the Canucks and Islanders this season: Nov. 15 (home), Jan. 9 (road). • Vancouver is 47-55-13-3 all-time against New York, including a 28-27-3-1 record at home. • The Canucks are 5-5-0 in their last 10 games against the Islanders (3-2-0 in their last five). • Among active skaters, J.T. Miller (8-7-15, 30 GP) leads the team in career scoring vs Islanders. • Thatcher Demko (2-0-0) has a 2.85 GAA and .912 SV% in three career games against the Islanders • In eight career games (3-2-1), Casey DeSmith has a 2.76 GAA and .905 SV% all-time against New York
QUICK NUMBERS
• Elias Pettersson has 25 points (7-18-25) in 15 games so far this season, good for 1st in the NHL. • Quinn Hughes has registered 23 points (5-18-23) in his last 15 games. He leads all defencemen in scoring and t-3rd amongst all skaters. Hughes is also on a four-game point streak (1-6-7). • J.T. Miller has 23 points (9-14-23) in his last 15 games and is currently on a four-game point streak (3-4-7). He ranks t-3rd in the league for points. • Brock Boeser has posted 18 points (12-6-18) in his last 15 games, with his 12 goals being good for 2nd in the league. • Filip Hronek has recorded 16 points (0-16-16) in his last 15 games and is currently on a ten-game point streak (0-13-13). He ranks 2nd for most assists amongst defencemen and t-2nd amongst all skaters. • Pius Suter (4-0-4) has posted four goals in his past six games. • Thatcher Demko (7-3-0) posted a .935 SV% and has a 1.96 GAA in his last 10 games, including two shutouts.
LAST MEETING
Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored his second goal of the season to tie the game at one in the first…Elias Pettersson was credited with the sole assist and first of three points in the contest…Brock Boeser gave the Canucks their first lead of the night 1:16 later…J.T. Miller and Riley Stillman recorded the assists…Nils Åman would get the Canucks within one at 16:04 in the second period…Phillip Di Giuseppe collected his second point as a Canuck with the first helper and Dakota Joshua was credited with the second assist…Pettersson would tie the game at four in the third period on the power play…Quinn Hughes got his first of two assists in the game and Boeser registered his second of four points on the night with an assist…Pettersson scored again to take the lead at 8:28…Boeser and Ethan Bear were credited with the assists…Anthony Beauvillier would score the eventual game-winning goal on a power play deflection in his first game against his former team since being acquired…Collin Delia collected his seventh win of the season after facing 29 shots on the night.
