NEW YORK ISLANDERS NOTES:
RECENT TRANSACTIONS & UPDATES
Nov. 28 Matt Martin has been activated off the team’s IR list.
Nov. 27 Sebastian Aho has been placed on IR (retroactive to Nov. 24)
INJURIES DATE (GAMES MISSED)
Sebastian Aho Nov. 25 (Three)
Bo Horvat Nov. 7 (One)
Matt Martin Nov. 16 – (Seven)
Scott Mayfield Oct. 17 – 30 (Seven)
Adam Pelech Nov. 4, Nov. 9 – Nov. 11, Nov. 25 (Six)
2023-24 Man Games Lost: 23
THE ISLANDERS VS. FLORIDA
LAST FIVE MEETINGS (1-3-1)
Dec. 23, 2022 UBS Arena W (5-1)
Oct. 23, 2022 Amerant Bank Arena (FLA Live) L (3-2)
Oct. 13, 2022 UBS Arena L (3-1)
Apr. 19, 2022 UBS Arena L/OT (3-2)
Nov. 16, 2022 Amerant Bank Arena (FLA Live) L (6-1)
TEAM NOTES
TONIGHT’S MATCHUP
Tonight, the New York Islanders visit the Florida Panthers in the first of three matchups between the two clubs this season. The last time these teams met was Dec. 23, 2022, when Ryan Pulock scored and Anders Lee tallied two assists in a 5-1 win at UBS Arena. The Islanders have earned points in five of their six meetings against an Atlantic Division opponent this season, and enter tonight’s matchup with a 4-1-1 record in their last six games, following their first overtime win of the season in Carolina on Thursday
POWER PLAY
The Islanders enter tonight’s matchup with a 29% success rate on the power play in 11 road contests this season, tied with the New York Rangers for fifth in the league. They have converted on 42.1% of power plays in their last six road games (8-for-19), the best in the league on the road since Nov. 15. Thursday night in Carolina, Kyle Palmieri recorded his second PPG in his last six games to help the Islanders defeat the Hurricanes in overtime. The Islanders also enter tonight’s matchup with a 22.6% success rate on the power play through 22 games this season. It is good for ninth in the league and sixth in the Eastern Conference.
SCORING FIRST
The Islanders are 6-2-5 when they score first this season. They have scored first in 13 of their 22 games in 2023-24, and have collected at least one point in 11 of those 13 games. Thursday night in Raleigh was the third time in their last six games that the Islanders captured points after allowing the first goal. The Islanders have also outscored opponents 22-13 in the first period through 22 games. Their 13 goals allowed in the first frame are the fewest in the NHL.
FLORIDA PANTHERS NOTES:
BAPTIST HEALTH INJURY REPORT
– D Josh Mahura | Games Missed: 7
Total Man Games Lost Due to Injury: 60 Games
RECENT TRANSACTIONS:
– Dec. 1: D Uvis Balinskis loaned to Charlotte (AHL)
PANTHERS vs. ISLANDERS
ALL-TIME vs. NYI: 56-33-8-11
ALL-TIME HOME vs. NYI: 29-13-6-5
2022-23 vs. NYI: 2-1-0
CATS STATS
– Aleksander Barkov has amassed 20 points (10-10-20) over 22 career games against the Islanders. – Only VAN and NYR (15 each) have more regulation and OT wins than Florida (14) this season following games played Nov. 30.
NOVEMBER NOTABLES
The Panthers faced their busiest month of the season in November, skating in 15 games across 30 calendar days. Despite this challenge, Florida posted a 10-4-1 record in November, leading all teams in wins (10) and points (21) while posting the third-fewest goals against per game (2.27). They also posted a 6-2-1 road record, tied for the league lead in road wins with DAL and matching the club record for road victories in a calendar month (also April 2022, March 2022, March 2021, December 2015). Other notables: • The Panthers posted a 90.4 penalty kill success rate in November, surrendering just five power-play goals against in the month (47 for 52), the third-best rate among teams. • Florida’s 19 third-period goals in November tied for fourth-most, and while they surrendered just eight third-period goals against in the month, behind only LAK (7). • The Cats led all teams in 4v4 goals (3), while allowing just 22 5v5 goals against across 15 November contests, the fewest among teams with at least 15GP over that span. • Florida averaged 32.7 shots on goal per game, the fifth best among teams. • Oliver Ekman-Larsson tied for the league lead in goals by a defenseman (5), behind only Quinn Hughes (5) for even-strength goals by a blueliner (OEL: 4). • Sergei Bobrovsky led all goaltenders with eight wins (8-3-0) and two shutouts (tied), posting a .918 SV% and 2.11 GAA. • Matthew Tkachuk ranked third among all NHLers with 59 shots on goal.
A VIEW TO A (PENALTY) KILL
In addition to posting the third-best PK% in November, the Panthers have successfully killed off their past 26 penalties, not allowing a PPG against over their past six contests. Florida has allowed just three power-play goals against over their past 12 contests (39 for 42, 92.9%) since Nov. 8. They have not allowed a power-play goal against at home since Nov. 6 vs. CBJ (15 for 16, 93.8%).
CATS AND ISLANDERS
The Panthers face off against the Islanders for the first time this season for the first of two meetings between the clubs in 2023-24. Last season, Florida took two of three games against NYI (2-1-0). Prior to Florida’s loss in New York on Dec. 23, 2022, the Panthers had won five straight games between the two clubs. Eetu Luostarinen led the Cats with three pts (2-1-3) against NYI in 2022-23.
PACING PLAY
The Panthers have averaged 33.7 shots on goal per game which ranks behind only CAR (34.1) following games played Nov. 30. The Cats also average 27.6 shots against per game, the third-best mark behind CAR (24.9) and LAK (27.1) this season. Only BOS (32) has surrendered fewer 5v5 goals against this season than FLA (34). Over their past three games, the Cats have allowed just two total regulation goals against.
