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Islanders Gameday News: Readying for an angry opponent

The Kraken had something to prove on Sunday and silenced the Islanders. The Oilers will try to do the same.

By Steven E. Smith
/ new

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Edmonton Oilers v New York Islanders
Barzal is feeling himself right now (and, as he admits, getting the bounces).
Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Tonight holds the first of an Albertan back-to-back for the New York Islanders. They visit the Edmonton Oilers at 9:00 p.m. ET this evening before taking on the Calgary Flames tomorrow night at the same time.

The Islanders on Sunday night struggled with the Seattle Kraken, who were coming off an embarrassing loss to the Oilers and thus mad and determined to prove something. Well, now the Kraken reversed fortune and embarrassed the Oilers in Edmonton’s previous game, so now the Oilers will be mad and determined to prove something. The Islanders need to be prepared for that kind of push.

FIGs go here.

Islanders News

  • A preview of tonight’s game courtesy of the Islanders themselves.
  • The power play is solved! Until next time, at least. [NY Post]
  • Mathew Barzal is on a four-game goal streak. He’s not sure if he’s looking to shoot more, necessarily, but it’s working right now. [Newsday]
  • He said he’s probably just getting the bounces at the moment, and that’s probably right. [amNY]
  • About tonight’s opponent: The Oilers are also going to be mad because they got their annual Mark Spector diatribe about their lack of heart. [Sportsnet]
  • Bryan Trottier is no. 28 in The Athletic’s NHL99 series. This article nicely covers his hobby in music, but in terms of hockey, it’s almost exclusively about his time with the Penguins. His dynasty years with the Islanders hardly get a mention. The Athletic is insufferable. [The Athletic]
  • Jason Blake is at World Juniors watching his son, Jackson, playing for Team USA.

Elsewhere

Only three games in the league last night, and the Devils kicked the Red Wings in the teeth in one of them.

  • Rather surprisingly, Jakub Vrána was waived on Tuesday by the Detroit Red Wings. Much less surprisingly, Vrána and his $5.25 million for this year and next cleared waivers yesterday. Robby Fabbri came off IR from his third ACL injury. [Sportsnet | TSN]
  • Sam Gagner reflects on 1,000 games(!). This one blew my mind the way Josh Bailey’s 1,000 games probably shocked everyone outside the Islanders fan base. [Sportsnet]
  • Max Pacioretty has been activated off IR by the Carolina Hurricanes and could make his debut tonight against the Nashville Predators. If ever a team needed someone, amirite? [NHL]
  • This past Winter Classic became the most-watched regular-season hockey game on U.S. cable TV. That’s a lot of qualifiers. [NHL]
  • Jimmy Vesey has agreed to a cheap two-year contract extension with the Rangers. Sam Rosen and Joe Micheletti rejoice. [NHL]
  • Some insider information here: Pierre LeBrun said that Tage Thompson reminded everyone not to judge trades too early. [The Athletic]
  • The medal round games have been set at World Juniors: Canada-Czechia for gold, U.S.-Sweden for bronze. [NHL | Sportsnet]
  • Connor Bedard isn’t satisfied with just his individual achievements, though. He wants to win. Bet you never heard a hockey player say that before! [NHL]
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have been running a five-forward power play. [Sportsnet]
  • Ottawa Senators goalie Cam Talbot’s new mask pays homage to his team’s likely future part-owner, Ryan Reynolds, as Deadpool. [Sportsnet]

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