New York Islanders at Colorado Avalanche [Game 39]

			-AT-
			8:00 PM EST
Radio	Network		Arena		Network	Radio
88.7 FM WRHU	MSG+		Pepsi Center		ALT	950 AM KRWZ
League	Value		Metric		Value	League
14th	57.9%		Points Percentage		52.7%	20th
16th	15.50%		Net Power Play Percentage		13.82%	25th
30th	78.26%		Net Penalty Kill Percentage		86.67%	7th
25th	93.76%		Combined Special Teams Percentage		100.48%	15th
2nd	3.55		Goals for per Game (All Situations)		3.16	8th
30th	3.50		Goals against per Game (All Situations)		3.22	26th
7th	.37		Penalty +/- per Game (All Situations)		.46	4th
20th	48.97%		Shot Attempt Percentage (5V5 Score Adjusted)		47.90%	24th
25th	47.63%		Scoring Chance Percentage (5V5 Score Adjusted)		47.98%	20th
7th	101.08%		P.D.O. (5V5)		100.26%	15th
2nd	9.44%		Shooting Percentage (5V5)		8.48%	9th
28th	91.63%		Save Percentage (5V5)		91.78%	25th
Data from Hockey-Reference.com and Natural Stat Trick
The Enemies' Lair
Mile High Hockey

The calendar year is about to and as a new NHL career begins for the New York Islanders. After seeing enough of Dennis Seidenberg in their last contest, Doug Weight has opted to start Sebastian Aho (who will consistently be tagged as the one from the Carolina Hurricanes apparently) for his first career start. He'll be on the third pairing for tonight's contest.

The opponents for tonight's contest will be the sneakily similar Colorado Avalanche. Both teams have seen their issues with puck possession, but high P.D.O.'s lead by above average shooting percentages to go along with favorable penalty differentials have helped them remain afloat this this season. The Islanders perform slightly better in the scoring chance and shooting percentage categories while the Avalanche have better special teams and have performed better overall in puck possession.

The Islanders caught a break in their last contest against the Avalanche when Blake Comeau went down with an injury at the same time Matt Duchene was traded away to the Ottawa Senators which left Colorado two forwards down. The Islanders were rumored candidates to land Duchene, but it appears as though they may have lucked out as Duchene has disappeared in Ottawa. With that being said, Colorado has performed better since ditching Duchene and the Islanders are not in position to take this Avalanche team lightly.

The Islanders will have changes to their forward corps to go along with the aforementioned defensive swap. Alan Quine and Anthony Beauvillier are back in for the Islanders at the expense of Shane Prince and Steve Bernier as they try to find any combination that will work on the third line. The play of the third line has been anything but good this season and is a big reason why the Islanders are hanging onto a playoff position despite the terrific play of the top two lines.

Jaroslav Halak gets the start tonight. He'll square off against Jonathan Bernier for the Avalanche. Puck drop is at 8:05 P.M. E.S.T. and can be found on MSG+.

New York Islanders Lineup

Colorado Avalanche Lineup