NEW YORK ISLANDERS NOTES:
RECENT TRANSACTIONS & UPDATES
Jan. 17 Kyle MacLean has been recalled from Bridgeport.
Jan. 17 Casey Cizikas has been placed on IR (lower body) retroactive to January 9.
THE ISLANDERS VS. CHICAGO
LAST FIVE MEETINGS (3-1-1)
Dec. 4, 2022 UBS Arena W, 3-0
Nov. 1, 2022 United Center W, 3-1
Dec. 5, 2021 UBS Arena L (SO), 3-2
Oct. 19, 2021 United Center W, 4-1
Dec. 27, 2019 United Center L, 5-2
TEAM NOTES
TONIGHT’S MATCHUP
Tonight, the New York Islanders finish their second four-game road trip of the month as they visit the Chicago Blackhawks in the first of two meetings between the two clubs this season. The last time these teams met was December 4, 2022, when Matt Martin and Brock Nelson scored to help the Islanders earn a 3-0 shutout win at UBS Arena. The Islanders enter tonight’s matchup with points in their last four straight meetings against Chicago (3-0-1), and a 3-1-2 record in their last six visits to United Center. They will also look to bounce back tonight following three straight losses on January 13, 15 and 16.
TWELVE STRAIGHT
Islanders netminder Ilya Sorokin turned aside 40 of 43 shots faced in his career-high 12th straight appearance Tuesday night in Winnipeg. It was the fifth time this season Sorokin made at least 40 saves, leading all NHL netminders. He enters tonight’s matchup with a 2-1-2 record this season when making 40 or more saves in a single contest. Sorokin has made 345 saves on 383 shots since Dec. 23, leading NHL goaltenders in that span.This season, the Mezhdurechensk, RUS native has faced 1,108 shots in 32 games, the most of any NHL netminder. He has made 1,008 saves on those shots, also leading NHL netminders.
SHORTHANDED
The Islanders enter tonight’s matchup with eight team shorthanded tallies through 44 games this season. Islanders forward Simon Holmstrom is tied for the league-lead in shorthanded points (six) and in shorthanded goals (five, Konecny). He is the first Islander since Frans Nielsen (seven, club record) in 2010-11 to record at least five shorthanded goals in a single campaign. This season, Holmstrom also became the 20th player in NHL history to score a go-ahead shorthanded goal in the final two minutes of regulation and is the first Islander to do so (Dec. 13 vs. Anaheim). Islanders forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau has five shorthanded points this season, a new career-best, and is the first Islander with five shorthanded assists in a single campaign since Bryan Trottier and Billy Carroll each did so in the 1981-82 campaign. He leads the NHL in shorthanded assists (five).
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS NOTES:
INJURY REPORT
POSITION PLAYER INJURY DATES GAMES MISSED
F Andreas Athanasiou Groin Nov. 9 – Jan. 18 33
F Taylor Hall Right ACL Nov. 19 – Jan. 18 29
F Tyler Johnson Right foot Dec. 31 – Jan. 18 9
F Anthony Beauvillier Left wrist Jan. 2 – Jan. 18 8
F Connor Bedard Fractured jaw Jan. 5 – Jan. 18 6
F Nick Foligno Fractured left finger Jan. 5 – Jan. 18 6
Total man games lost: 195
TONIGHT’S OPPONENT – NEW YORK ISLANDERS
Chicago take on the Islanders for the first time this season at the United Center … The Blackhawks are 8- 3-0 over their last 11 games against the Islanders at home and 13-5-2 over their last 20 overall against the club … Ryan Donato has four points (1G, 3A) over his last six games against New York … Petr Mrazek has won his last two games against the Islanders and is 8-5-2 in his career against the team … Assistant Coach Derek King was selected in the first round (13th overall) of the 1985 National Hockey League Draft by the Islanders … King scored 211 goals and added 288 helpers across 638 regular-season games with the Islanders … Head Coach Luke Richardson served as an assistant coach for the Islanders during the 2017-18 campaign.
BLACKHAWKS RECORD ON…
One-Day Rest: 7-10-2
Two-Days Rest: 1-7-0
Three+ Days Rest: 2-1-0
First Game of a B2B: 3-5-0
Second Game of a B2B: 0-7-0
