NHL Preview: New York Islanders at Nashville Predators

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NEW YORK ISLANDERS NOTES:

LAST GAME
DATE NYI RESULT SCORE NYI SCORERS IN GOAL
Mon., Nov. 14, 2022 Win NYI 4 at OTT 2 Wahlstrom, Dobson,
Pageau, Nelson
Varlamov (36-38)
Oliver Wahlstrom opened the score with his fifth goal of the season, then Noah Dobson, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, and Brock Nelson followed as the New York Islanders defeated the Ottawa Senators, 4-2, Monday evening at Canadian Tire Centre. Mathew Barzal tallied two assists, and netminder Semyon Varlamov made 36 saves on 38 shots to earn his fourth win of the season, and help the Islanders collect their ninth win in their last 11 games. It was their first win of the 2022-23 season against an Atlantic Division opponent, and they improved to 5-1-0 in their last six road games.

SEASON SERIES
DATE LOCATION TIME (ET) TV
Nov. 17, 2022 Bridgestone Arena (Nashville, TN) 8:00pm MSG
Dec. 2, 2022 UBS Arena (Belmont Park, NY) 7:30pm MSG

RECENT TRANSACTIONS
Nov. 16 Nikita Soshnikov has been asssigned to the Bridgeport Islanders (AHL).
Nov. 7 Robin Salo has been recalled from the Bridgeport Islanders (AHL).
Nov. 6 Robin Salo has been loaned to the Bridgeport Islanders (AHL).
Oct. 28 Robin Salo has been recalled from the Bridgeport Islanders (AHL).
Oct. 21 Robin Salo has been assigned to Bridgeport. Sebastian Aho has been activated off IR.

TONIGHT’S MATCHUP
Tonight, the New York Islanders visit the Nashville Predators in the first of two matchups between the two clubs this season. It has been more than a year since the Islanders last visited Bridgestone Arena on October 30, 2021, when they collected a point in a shootout. Tonight’s matchup is the second in a four-game road trip for the Islanders, after they earned a 4-2 a win in Ottawa on Monday night. The Islanders enter tonight’s game with a 6-1-0 record against Western Conference teams this season and three of their next four games will be against Western teams.

INJURIES GAMES MISSED

15 Cal Clutterbuck Oct. 13 vs. FLA , Nov. 8 at NYR

25 Sebastian Aho Oct. 13 vs. FLA – Oct. 20 vs. NJD

26 Oliver Wahlstrom Oct. 13 vs. FLA

Man Games Lost: 7

RECENT RESULTS
Monday, Nov. 14 at Ottawa W (4-2)
Saturday, Nov. 12 vs. Columbus W, OT (4-3)
Thursday, Nov. 10 vs. Arizona L (2-0)
Tuesday, Nov. 8 at NY Rangers W (4-3)

SEASON SERIES
DATE LOCATION TIME (ET) TV
Nov. 17, 2022 Bridgestone Arena (Nashville, TN) 8:00pm MSG
Dec. 2, 2022 UBS Arena (Belmont Park, NY) 7:30pm MSG

UPCOMING GAMES
Nov. 19 at Dallas American Airlines Center (Dallas, TX) 8:00pm
Nov. 21 at Toronto Scotiabank Arena (Toronto, ON) 7:30pm
Nov. 23 vs. Edmonton UBS Arena (Belmont Park, NY) 7:30pm
Nov. 25 at Columbus Nationwide Arena (Columbus, OH) 8:00pm
Nov. 26 vs. Philadelphia UBS Arena (Belmont Park, NY) 7:30p

LAST FIVE MEETINGS VS. NASHVILLE
Dec. 9, 2021 UBS Arena (Belmont Park, NY) Loss (4-3)
Oct. 30, 2021 Bridgestone Arena (Nashville, TN) SO Loss (3-2)
Feb. 13, 2020 Bridgestone Arena (Nashville, TN) Loss (5-0)
Dec. 17, 2019 Nassau Coliseum (Uniondale, NY) Loss (8-3)
Oct. 13, 2018 Bridgestone Arena (Nashville, TN) Loss (5-2)

vs. THE PREDATORS:
2021-22 0-1-1
Last 5 meetings 0-4-1
Franchise History 11-17-0-3
NYI Home 6-7-0-2
NYI Away 5-10-0-1

STORYLINES
VISITING THE PREDATORS
The last time the Islanders visited the Predators was October 30, 2021, when Anthony Beauvillier and Oliver Wahlstrom found the scoresheet in a 3-2 shootout loss in Nashville. Wahlstrom (1g, 2a) and Mathew Barzal (2a) found the scoresheet each time these teams met last season (on October 30 and December 9). Tonight’s matchup is the Islanders’ sole visit to Nashville this season, and a win in Bridgestone Arena tonight would be the Islanders’ first since October 28, 2017. The Islanders are 2-6-2 against Nashville in their last ten meetings. Forward Zach Parise leads active Islanders in all three scoring categories against Nashville, as he has tallied 25 points (14 goals, 11 assists) in 35 games. Forward Cal Clutterbuck has six goals against Nashville in 30 career games. Islanders Head Coach Lane Lambert began his NHL coaching career in Nashville during the 2011-12 season, as an assistant coach.

AGAINST THE WEST
The Islanders enter tonight’s contest with a 6-1-0 record against Western Conference teams this season and began the 2022-23 campaign with a perfect 6-0-0 record against West opponents for the first time in franchise history. The Islanders have the third-best record against the West amongst Eastern Conference teams. Only New Jersey (8-0-0) and Boston (7-0-0) have better. The Islanders are 3-1-0 vs. Central Division teams so far.

IN THEIR LAST ELEVEN
The Islanders enter tonight’s matchup with an 8-2-0 record in their last ten games (9-2-0 in their last 11), third-best in the NHL (New Jersey 10-0-0, Boston 9-1-0). The Islanders have outscored opponents 57-43 so far this season, and are fourth in the league in points (22) and in wins (11). The Islanders have been particularly productive since October 26, 11 games ago. The Islanders have nine wins in that span, tied with New Jersey for the most in the league. They have scored 38 times since October 26, second-most in that span behind Vancouver (40) and have outscored their opponents by 13 goals (38-25), the third-largest margin in the NHL (Boston and New Jersey, 20).

ON THE ROAD
The Islanders’ 5-3-0 record in road games this season is fourth-best amongst Eastern Conference teams and 11th in the league. All five of the Islanders’ road wins have been recorded in their last ten games, and they are 5-1-0 on the road since October 28. Their five road wins in that span are tied with Vegas for most in the league.

ASSISTS LEADER
Islanders forward Mathew Barzal has recorded seven assists in his last five games. He is third in the NHL and leads the Islanders in assists (18) through 17 games so far this season. Barzal is the first Islander since 1984 (Mike Bossy and Bryan Trottier) to record 18 assists through the first 17 games. He has recorded five multi-assist games so far this season, on pace to surpass the nine multi-assist contests he tallied in 73 games last season.

HITS RECORDS
Islanders forwards Cal Clutterbuck (3,621) and Matt Martin (3,460) are second and third amongst all NHLers in career hits, respectively (the stat has been collected since the 2005-06 season). Clutterbuck needs 12 hits to pass Dustin Brown (3,632) for the most all-time. Clutterbuck has 59 hits through 15 games this season (seventh in the league), and Martin has 52 (15th in the league).

STORYLINES
GOALTENDING
Islanders netminder Semyon Varlamov has earned victories in each of his last two starts, on November 8 (at NY Rangers) and 14 (at Ottawa). On Monday night vs. Ottawa, Varlamov turned away 36 of 38 shots faced to help the Islanders capture their 11th win of the season, and sixth win of the season while being outshot by their opponent. Islanders netminder Ilya Sorokin ranks third amongst NHL goaltenders in save percentage (min. 5 GP), with .932 in 12 games, and ranks fourth in GAA, with 2.17. On Saturday night, Sorokin earned his seventh win of the season as he made 26 saves on 29 shots against Columbus. He is one of eight goalies to have recorded seven or more wins this season.

THE THIRD
The Islanders remain most productive in the third period. In their last four wins (Nov. 7, 8, 12 and 14), the Islanders have outscored opponents 8-2 in the third frame. Every victory the Islanders have captured so far this season has included an Islander finding the back of the net in the third. Since October 26, more than 50% (20 of the last 36) of Islander goals have been scored in the third, and the Islanders are 11-4-0 when they find the back of the net in the final frame. Their 28 third period goals this season leads the NHL.

FORWARD PRODUCTION
Nine Islanders forwards have recorded three or more goals through 17 games this season. Islanders forward Brock Nelson leads the team with nine goals. Nelson has scored a goal in the last eight consecutive Islander wins, and is tied for the lead in points (18, Mathew Barzal). Nelson has been held off the scoresheet just three times since October 22. Islanders team captain Anders Lee has found the scoresheet in eight of his last ten games, scoring ten points (four goals, six assists) in that span, and the Islanders are 10-2-0 when Lee finds the scoresheet so far this season. Lee is second on the Islanders in goals (eight), Third on the Islanders in assists (eight) and third on the team in points (16).

FACE-OFF WINS
Nov. 7 vs. Calgary, Islanders forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau recorded 20 face-off wins, good for a single-game season-high. It is the first time in Islander has recorded 20 wins on the face-off dot in a single game since January 13, 2017, when John Tavares recorded 21 vs. Florida. Pageau has recorded higher than a 50% FOW% in seven of his last eight games. He leads Islanders centers with 58.7 FOW%.

BLUELINERS
Through 17 games, Islanders defensemen have recorded 39 points. Islanders blueliners have scored 14 goals so far this season, leading the NHL. An Islanders defenseman has found the scoresheet in 13 of 17 games this season. Noah Dobson leads Islanders defensmen in all three scoring categories, with 12 points (5 goals, 7 assists). Monday night in Ottawa, Dobson tallied his third multi-point game of the season. Saturday night, defensemen Sebastian Aho (first career multi-assist game) and Scott Mayfield (game-tying goal and assist) helped the Islanders to a 4-3 win over Columbus. Adam Pelech scored the game-tying goal on Nov. 8 vs. the Rangers, his first goal since February 24. Pelech also set a new single-game season high amongst Islanders on Nov. 3, as he skated 24:30 TOI (his highest TOI since Dec. 19, 2021). Pelech leads the Islanders with a plus-10 rating through 17 games. Robin Salo’s set a single-game team-high as he recorded a +4 rating on October 15. It was a career-high and matched the Islanders’ single-game high set last season by Brock Nelson (Nov. 4 vs. MTL). Salo is the first Islander defenseman since
Denis Potvin (most recently in 1982) to record two goals and record a +4 rating in the same game.

NASHVILLE PREDATORS NOTES:

ALL-TIME vs. NY ISLANDERS
OVERALL (31 GP) 20-8-(0)-3
HOME (16 GP) 11-4-(0)-1
ROAD (15 GP) 9-4-(0)-2
PLAYOFFS Never Met
− The Predators are 20-8-(0)-3 all-time against the Islanders, including an 11-4-(0)-1 record at Bridgestone Arena.

− This is the first of two matchups between Nashville and the NY Islanders in 2022-23; it is the first and only at home.

− Nashville went 2-0-0 vs. the NY Islanders last season, earning a 3-2 shootout win at home on Oct. 30, 2021.

− The Predators are 5-0-0 in their last five games against the Islanders; they are 8-1-1 in their last 10; and 3-1-1 in their last five on home ice.

− The Predators have earned at least a point in 10 of their last 11 meetings with the Islanders (9-1-1), including wins in seven straight.

− Nashville’s only 3-on-5 goal in franchise history came against the Islanders on Oct. 15, 2002 (Karlis Skrastins).

NOTABLES vs. NY ISLANDERS
− Mattias Ekholm owned a six-game point streak vs. the Islanders (2g-6a) from Oct. 28, 2017-Feb. 13, 2020. He has 10 points (2g-8a) in 15 career games against the Islanders.

− Filip Forsberg has 11 points (6g-5a) in 14 career games against the Islanders, including points in four of his last seven games (4g-2a).

− Roman Josi has four points (1g-3a) in his last five games vs. New York. He recorded five (5a) of his nine career points (2g7a) against the Islanders in a four-game span from Feb. 19, 2015-March 17, 2016 and scored the game-winning goal in overtime vs. New York on Feb. 5, 2018.

− Nino Niederreiter was drafted by the Islanders in the first round (fifth overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft.

LAST TIME OUT
− Minnesota Wild 1, Nashville Predators 2 – Nov. 15 (Bridgestone Arena)

− NSH goals: Niederreiter (7), Duchene – PP/GWG (4)

− MIN goals: Gaudreau (3)

− Goaltenders: NSH – Saros (W, 32/33); MIN – Fleury (L, 23/25)

− Power plays: NSH 1-5; MIN 0-5

− Notes: Nashville improved to 4-3-1 at home in 2022-23… Nashville has won consecutive home games for the first time this season… Matt Duchene (1g-1a) and Ryan Johansen (2a) both recorded multi-point outings… It was Johansen’s first multipoint game of 2022-23… Duchene assisted on Nino Niederreiter’s goal for his 700th career NHL point… Duchene then scored his first game-winning goal of the season just 44 seconds later on the power play… Juuse Saros made 32 saves to give him wins in consecutive games for the first time this season… Saros has made at least 30 saves in six of his last seven starts.

INJURY REPORT
Player Designation Dates Missed Games Missed
Mark Borowiecki Upper body – IR Oct. 27-Nov. 15 9
Total man-games lost: 13
Borowiecki – 10; Glass – 1; McCarron – 1; Trenin – 1

NASHVILLE PREDATORS GAME NOTES
Nov. 17, 2022 vs. New York Islanders

RECENT TRANSACTIONS
− Nov. 14: Signed forward Nolan Burke to a three-year, entry-level contract.

− Nov. 12: Recalled forward Juuso Parssinen from Milwaukee (AHL). Reassigned defenseman Jordan Gross to Milwaukee (AHL).

− Nov. 8: Assigned defenseman Luke Prokop from Norfolk (ECHL) to Seattle (WHL).

− Nov. 3: Recalled forward Mark Jankowski from Milwaukee (AHL). Assigned forward Kiefer Sherwood to Milwaukee (AHL).

− Oct. 31: Recalled defenseman Jordan Gross from Milwaukee (AHL). Placed defenseman Mark Borowiecki on IR (upper body).

− Oct. 18: Assigned defenseman Luke Prokop to Norfolk (ECHL) from Milwaukee (AHL).

− Oct. 10: Assigned forwards Jimmy Huntington, Mark Jankowski and Philip Tomasino and defensemen Kevin Gravel, Jordan Gross and Roland McKeown to Milwaukee (AHL). Goaltender Connor Ingram was claimed on waivers by Arizona.

ALL-TIME LEADERBOARDS
Games Played
Rk. Player GP
1 David Legwand 956
2 Roman Josi 776
3 Shea Weber 763
4 Martin Erat 723
5 Mattias Ekholm 678
6 Craig Smith 661
7 Dan Hamhuis 600
8 Filip Forsberg 582
9 Kimmo Timonen 573
10 Ryan Ellis 562

DREAM DEBUT
− Forward Juuso Parssinen, 21, made his NHL debut on Saturday vs. the NY Rangers. He became the first Predators player to make his NHL debut this season.

− Scoring his first career NHL goal on his first shot, Parssinen joined an exclusive group of Predators players. He became the fifth Nashville skater to score in his NHL debut, joining Miikka Salomaki (2014-15), Kevin Henderson (2012-13), Craig Smith (2011-12) and Mikko Lehtonen (2006-07).

− The No. 210 overall pick (seventh round) in the 2019 NHL Draft became the sixth player in the last decade to score in his first career NHL game after being selected in the seventh round.

− Parssinen had nine points (2g-7a) in 10 games with Milwaukee (AHL) prior to his recall.

THE CAPTAIN
− Roman Josi has nine points (3g-6a) in his last nine games after assisting on Matt Duchene’s game-winning goal on Tuesday vs. Minnesota.

− The assist gave Josi a point streak of three games (1g-2a) that began on Nov. 10.

− He tallied four points (2g-2a) during Nashville’s five-game road trip from Nov. 1-10, averaging a team-high 23:56 of ice time.

− He scored his first goal and notched his first multi-point (1g-2a) outing of the season on Oct. 27 vs. St. Louis. It was his 25th career three-point game, trailing only Erik Karlsson and Victor Hedman for the most such performances among NHL defensemen since his debut season in 2011-12. Josi led all NHL blueliners in three-point games last season (12) en route to being a finalist for the Norris Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award.

− Josi is second among NHL defensemen in shots on goal (61) and is 14th in average TOI (24:23).

Goals
Rk. Player G
1 Filip Forsberg 225
2 David Legwand 210
3 Shea Weber 166
4 Martin Erat 163
5 Craig Smith 162
6 Roman Josi 143
7 Viktor Arvidsson 127
8 Mike Fisher 111
9 Jason Arnott 107
10 Patric Hornqvist 106

Assists
Rk. Player A
1 Roman Josi 409
2 David Legwand 356
3 Martin Erat 318
4 Shea Weber 277
5 Filip Forsberg 259
6 Ryan Johansen 241
7 Kimmo Timonen 222
8 Ryan Suter 200
9 Mattias Ekholm 197
10 Ryan Ellis 195

Points
Rk. Player P
1 David Legwand 566
2 Roman Josi 552
3 Filip Forsberg 484
4 Martin Erat 481
5 Shea Weber 443
6 Ryan Johansen 344
7 Craig Smith 330
8 Kimmo Timonen 301
9 Ryan Ellis 270
10 J-P Dumont 267

NASHVILLE PREDATORS GAME NOTES
Nov. 17, 2022 vs. New York Islanders

NUMBER NINE
− Filip Forsberg (483) passed Martin Erat (481) and moved into sole possession of third place on the Predators’ all-time points list on Nov. 8 at Seattle.

− After tallying an assist on Saturday vs. the NY Rangers, he leads Nashville in points with 15 (5g-10a) and has three multipoint outings in his last nine games. He posted a three-game point streak (1g-2a) from Nov. 8-12.

− Forsberg led Nashville in goals (3) and points (7) during its five-game road trip; four of his points (4a) came on the power play.

− Forsberg has 12 points (3g-9a) in his last nine games dating back to Oct. 22 vs. Philadelphia. He’s recorded two three-point games in that time frame – Oct. 27 vs. St. Louis (3a) and Nov. 1 at Edmonton (1g-2a).

− Nov. 1 at Edmonton was Forsberg’s 32nd career three-point game, the most in Predators history.

GRANNY APPLES
− Mikael Granlund has opened 2022-23 with 11 assists and 12 points in his first 16 games.

− He has five points (5a) in his last seven games.

− Granlund had 11 assists in Nashville’s first 15 games, tied for the sixth-most through the teams first 15 games of a season in franchise history. He recorded 13 assists in Nashville’s first 15 games of 2021-22, the second-most in team history.

− Granlund recorded a career-high 53 assists last season, also the second-most on the Predators. His 53 assists were the most by a center and the third-most overall in a season in Predators history.

EL NINO
− Nino Niederreiter, who signed as a free agent with Nashville in July, has seven goals and nine points in his first 16 games with the Predators to begin 2022-23.

− Two of his team-leading seven goals have been on the power play, with the most recent coming on Nov. 1 at Edmonton. Niederreiter has scored at least one goal on the man advantage in each of his last 10 seasons.

− He found the back of the net three times in Nashville’s two games against San Jose in Prague, including twice in the second half of the back-to-back.

− Niederreiter became the second player in franchise history to score three or more goals through his first two career games with the Predators, joining Steve Sullivan (4g in 2004). He also became the fourth player in team history to score at least one goal in each of his first two career games with Nashville and the first since Luke Kunin in 2020-21.

QUICK HITS
− Predators defensemen have taken 347 shot attempts, the sixth-most among all NHL teams.

− Nashville’s 149 shots on goal from blueliners are the ninth-most in the NHL.

− The Predators are fifth in the NHL in face-off percentage (53.8 percent).

− Among NHL players who have taken at least 200 faceoffs, Ryan Johansen is second at 64.2 percent.

− Johansen has won at least 50 percent of his faceoffs in a franchise-record 20 consecutive games. The previous record was held by current Predators Assistant GM Scott Nichol, who did so in 17 straight games during the 2006-07 season.

− Colton Sissons is tied for first in the NHL in shorthanded faceoffs won (35).

− Mark Jankowski was selected by Calgary in the first round (21st overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft. That pick was initially held by Nashville but was traded to Buffalo on Feb. 27, 2012 for Paul Gaustad and a fourth-round pick in the 2013 NHL Draft, with which the Predators used to select Juuse Saros. To close the pick history, Buffalo traded the 21st overall choice in the 2012 NHL Draft to Calgary with a second-round pick in the 2012 NHL Draft (Patrick Sieloff) for the 14th overall pick (Zemgus Girgensons).

PRAHA PREDS
− Nashville opened the 2022-23 regular season with two victories against the San Jose Sharks at the O2 Arena in Prague, Czech Republic as part of the 2022 NHL Global Series.

− It was Nashville’s third and fourth regular-season games outside of North America in franchise history; the Predators began the 2000-01 season by playing back-to-back games against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, going 1-1-0.