New York Islanders at St. Louis Blues [Game 11 Thread]

For the second of a three-game midwestern trip, the New York Islanders visit the St. Louis Blues. The Islanders have won four straight games, and the Blues have lost five straight in regulation since starting 3-0-0.

The Islanders would like to make it a five-game streak, and they’re going with the lineup that had won the first three games of this streak. Matt Martin, who missed Tuesday’s game in Chicago because his wife gave birth to their second child earlier this week, is back with the team and back on the ice. He returns to his place at 4LW, and Ross Johnston comes back out.

The Blues, meanwhile, got scolded by their GM, and captain Ryan O’Reilly recently denigrated his own play in the media. So they’ll surely be itching to win, and the Islanders will probably need to hold off a big push. That being said, the Islanders’ underlying numbers are a bit better than St. Louis’, and the Islanders’ numbers have improved of late.

It’s Ilya Sorokin vs. Jordan Binnington in the net. No Thomas Greiss tonight. But we do get to see Nick Leddy, playing on the top pair (which may be part of their problem, but who’s to say?).

Let’s go for five.