NEW YORK ISLANDERS NOTES:
RECENT TRANSACTIONS & UPDATES
Dec. 18 Noah Dobson has been named the NHL’s “Third Star” for the Week ending on December 17, 2023
THE ISLANDERS VS. WASHINGTON
LAST FIVE MEETINGS (2-3-0)
Nov. 11, 2023 UBS Arena L, 4-1
Nov. 2, 2023 Capital One Arena W, 3-0
Apr. 10, 2023 Capital One Arena L, 5-2
Mar. 29, 2023 UBS Arena W/SO, 2-1
Mar. 11, 2022 UBS Arena L, 5-1
TEAM NOTES
TONIGHT’S MATCHUP
Tonight, the New York Islanders face the Washington Capitals in the third of four meetings between the two clubs this season. The last time these teams met was on November 11, when the Islanders fell 4-1 to Washington at UBS Arena. The Islanders also visited the Capitals on November 2, when Brock Nelson recorded a goal and an assist and Simon Holmstrom and Ryan Pulock each scored in a 3-0 Islander win. These teams will meet twice before the New Year, finishing their season series on December 29, when Washington visits UBS Arena again. The Islanders enter tonight’s matchup with a 6-1-2 record in December, following a 3-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers last night. Tonight’s game caps off the Islanders’ fifth of ten back-to-back sets they will play this season, and the Islanders will look for their first victory on the back-end of games in the 2023-24 campaign (0-2-2).
DECEMBER AT HOME
The Islanders earned points on home ice for the ninth straight game last night against the Oilers, improving to 6-0-3 at UBS Arena since November 22, It is their longest point streak ever at UBS Arena, and their longest on home ice since their 12- 0-2 record at Nassau Coliseum to open the 2021 season. They finished their season-long six-game home stand (Dec. 5-15) with points in each matchup (4-0-2).
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Islanders have converted on the power play in eight of their last 11 games. Last night’s matchup was the fifth time this season the Islanders have scored twice on the power play, and the second time in their last three games, matching their single-game high. They have converted on 32.7% of power plays since November 15 (15-for-45), leading the NHL in that span. This month, they have converted on 36% of their power plays, leading the league since December 1. The Islanders enter tonight’s matchup with a 26.4% success rate on the power play through 31 games this season, fifth in the league and fourth in the Eastern. Bo Horvat leads the Islanders in power play tallies, with five through 31 games this season. Noah Dobson (one goal, 11 assists) and Mathew Barzal (three goals, nine assists) are tied for the lead in power play points (13).
SCORING FIRST
The Islanders are 9-2-7 when they score first this season. They have scored first in 18 of their 31 games in 2023-24, and have collected at least one point in 16 of those 18 games. The Islanders have also outscored opponents 27-17 in the first period through 31 games; Their 17 goals allowed in the first frame are second-fewest in the NHL (Boston, 15). The Islanders are 6-6-0 this season when allowing the first goal, but have earned victories six of the last seven instances that they have allowed the first goal, including last night’s win over Edmonton.
QUICK SCORING
Defenseman Ryan Pulock scored the game-winning goal on Nov. 2 in Washington just 22 seconds into regulation, tying Tomas Jonsson for third-fastest game-opening goal by an Islanders blueliner in franchise history (N. Leddy 0:13, D. Potvin 0:16). It was Pulock’s ninth career game-winning goal, and was also the earliest game-winner scored in franchise history, breaking Clark Gillies’ record (0:34 on Feb. 22, 1976).
WASHINGTON CAPITALS NOTES:
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
Recalled forwards Ivan Miroshnichenko and Hendrix Lapierre from AHL Hershey; placed forward T.J. Oshie on IR, 12/19
Loaned forward Joe Snively to AHL Hershey, 12/18
INJURIES/ILLNESSES
T.J. Oshie: 11/27-12/7, 12/17 (7 games)
Sonny Milano: 10/29, 12/14-12/17 (4 games)
Nicklas Backstrom: 11/2-12/17 (20 games)
Max Pacioretty: 10/13-12/17 (28 games)
Evgeny Kuznetsov: 11/18-11/22, 12/14 (3 games)
Charlie Lindgren: 10/16-10/27, 12/2 (7 games)
Martin Fehervary: 11/11-11/24 (5 games)
Anthony Mantha: 11/10-11/14 (3 games)
Darcy Kuemper: 11/10-11/11 (2 games)
Trevor van Riemsdyk: 11/8-11/14 (4 games)
Nic Dowd: 10/18-11/8 (9 games)
Joel Edmundson: 10/13-11/14 (14 games)
Man Games Lost: 106
TONIGHT’S GAME
The Capitals host the New York Islanders on Wednesday at Capital One Arena for the third of four meetings between the teams this season. The Capitals fell to the Islanders 3-0 on Nov. 2 in D.C. but drew even in the season series with a 4-1 win at UBS Arena on Nov. 11. Washington and the Islanders will conclude their season series on Dec. 29 in New York. The Capitals are 123-97-13-7 all-time versus New York and 12-5-1 (.694 point percentage) in their last 18 games against the Islanders dating back to the 2020-21 season. In addition, the Capitals are 6-2-1 (.722 point percentage) in their last nine games against the Islanders at home.
Back-to-Back
– With their 2-1 shootout win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday, the Capitals improved to 5-0-0 in the second game of back-tobacks this season. All five wins have come on the road. – The Capitals’ five road wins on zero days are the most in the NHL. – Wednesday’s game against the Islanders marks the first game of Washington’s sixth back-to-back set of the season. The Capitals visit the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday at Nationwide Arena. – The Capitals are 3-2-0 in the first game of back-to-backs this season.
Metro Matchup
– Four of Washington’s next five games and seven of their next nine games will be against Metropolitan Division opponents. – This season, the Capitals have a 7-2-1 record (.750 P%) against Metro teams, which is the highest point percentage in the division. – Washington (28 GP) has played the fewest games among Metropolitan Division teams.
Shut it Down
– Over his last two starts, Darcy Kuemper is 2-0-0 and has stopped 60 of 63 shots faced (.952 Sv%), including 42 of 44 shots at five-onfive (.955 Sv%). – On Sunday, Kuemper stopped 28 of 29 shots faced and turned away all three Carolina shootout attempts, improving to 3-0-0 in shootouts this season with a 1.000 shootout save percentage (13 saves on 13 shootout attempts against). – Kuemper is the only goaltender in the NHL who has participated in multiple shootouts and has not given up a shootout goal. – Kuemper stopped 32 of 34 shots faced on Dec. 10 at Chicago, a 4-2 win. – In 13 career games against the Islanders, Kuemper has a record of 5-5-2 with a 2.62 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage.
