Whereas the New York Islanders proceed to jockey for playoff place, the Ottawa Senators are doing their finest to stay related within the postseason chase.
Eyeing a fourth straight highway win, the Islanders will look at hand the Senators a second straight loss on Thursday, one thing Ottawa hasn’t skilled in almost two months.
A yr faraway from lacking the playoffs, New York (39-24-5, 83 factors) sits in third place within the Metropolitan Division, one level behind the Pittsburgh Penguins however simply two factors forward of the surging Columbus Blue Jackets.
The Islanders have been comparatively constant of late, going 12-5-0 since Jan. 26. They’ve gained eight of their previous 11 on the highway, yielding a mean of two.5 objectives in these 11 contests.
“Everybody’s successful video games, together with us,” mentioned New York middle Mathew Barzal, who notched three assists on Tuesday throughout the Islanders’ 3-1 victory at Toronto. “In order that’s simply the race it’s this yr, and we simply received to maintain tempo and hopefully push the tempo.
“That is the very best half about this, this time of yr, each sport means a bit extra. And, each play means a bit extra.”
Barzal has totaled 35 of his team-leading 63 factors in 36 highway video games this season. He produced six factors within the Islanders’ previous two contests away from dwelling.
Barzal earned an help whereas captain Anders Lee scored a aim and arrange two others throughout the Islanders’ 5-4 away victory towards the Senators on Oct. 18. New York has gained 4 straight at Ottawa and is 14-3-1 there since Nov. 1, 2013.
The Senators (34-24-9, 77 factors) enter the Thursday contest 5 factors out of a playoff spot. They had been using a 14-4-4 surge previous to shedding 4-1 at Washington on Wednesday. It was a doubtlessly pricey setback for Ottawa, which had gained its earlier two contests.
Ottawa final dropped two in a row on Jan. 22 and Jan. 24.
“This time of the yr, this level of the season, it is that playoff mindset,” Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot mentioned. “We (did not like) our sport (Wednesday), however we get an opportunity to go proper again at it (Thursday). It is a large one for us, and we have got to reply like we have been doing.”
Ottawa ought to stay assured at dwelling, the place it is amid a 6-2-2 stretch.
After scoring his team-high thirty first aim on Wednesday, Senators middle Tim Stutzle has 20 factors (9 objectives, 11 assists) previously 17 video games.
Ottawa’s Linus Ullmark (2.79 goals-against common) made 21 saves towards the Capitals throughout his fourth consecutive begin. Backup James Reimer is 4-3-1 with a 2.53 GAA in eight begins since becoming a member of the Senators in mid-January. Reimer stopped all 16 pictures he confronted in his most up-to-date motion, a 2-0 victory at Vancouver on March. 9.
New York’s Ilya Sorokin (2.49 GAA) made 26 saves on Tuesday at Toronto, and he stopped 28 of 32 pictures at Ottawa earlier this season. Teammate David Rittich has a 2.66 GAA in 26 begins, however he has allowed 11 objectives whereas shedding his final three highway begins in regulation.
Lee recorded 5 objectives and 4 assists in his previous six video games vs. Ottawa. Nevertheless, he enters the matchup mired in a six-game level drought.
–Discipline Degree Media
