If he starts, Semyon Varlamov will look to extend his shutout streak to three games as the New York Islanders welcome the New Jersey Devils for the first of eight games between the cross-state rivals this season.

The Islanders haven’t played the Devils since January 7th 2019, when Anders Lee sent the Isles home win a 4-3 overtime win in Newark. The two teams’ only meetings last season were within a week of each other. The other two originally on the schedule were cancelled when the NHL shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Devils beat Varlamov and the Islanders 2-1 in the other meeting at Nassau Coliseum.

The Islanders are coming off a 1-0 victory in the final home opener at Nassau Coliseum against Boston. Varlamov made 27 saves after returning from an upper-body injury, which forced him out of last week’s series closer against the Rangers. Cal Clutterbuck hit Varlamov up high with a shot in warmups prior to that game, setting the stage for Ilya Sorokin’s first NHL start.

Islanders’ Storylines

Semyon Varlamov’s Shutout Streak

If Varlamov has another shutout tonight, he’ll pass Glenn “Chico” Resch for the longest shutout streak in New York Islanders history. The record is 178:29, and Varlamov has gone 120:00 without giving up a goal this season.

Varlamov was feeling great about his performace after the win. “I can tell you that’s the best result after two games I’ve ever had,” Varlamov said. “I never got back to back-to-back shutouts in the beginning of a season. I’ve had some seasons where I felt great, but the outcome was different. I’m glad it happened this way, so I’m pretty happy about the result.

The shutout broke Rick DiPietro’s shutout streak record to start a season by just about five minutes. Varlamov already matched his shutout totals from last season. He also leads the league in goals against and save percentage, obviously.

Josh Bailey On COVID Protocol List

The Islanders placed Josh Bailey on the COVID-19 protocol list late Wednesday. Bailey was unavailable at Wednesday’s practice. Meanwhile, Head Coach Barry Trotz noted that Michael Dal Colle is close to coming off injured reserve.

The New York Post reported yesterday that Bailey’s status for tonight’s game is unknown. If Bailey does test positive, he must quarantine for at least 10 days from the initial result, per league rules. He’d miss tonight’s game against Devils, and three more afterwards (Devils, Captials, Capitals).

Andy Greene Plays His Former Team For the First Time

Andy Greene was the captain of the New Jersey Devils for five years until the Islanders acquired him at the 2020 Trade Deadline. In 21 playoff games, he scored four points. The Islanders resigned him late in the offseason, and has been playing on the third pairing for the Isles alongside Noah Dobson.

Greene has been anticipating this moment since he joined the blue and orange last season. The two remaining games against the Devils were cancelled, so this is the first time he’ll face the team he spent 14 years with.

“I’ve always seen other players play against former teams,” Greene said. “[For] me, it’s the first time doing. It’s going to be strange. It’ll be weird. It’ll be strange seeing some of those guys that I have a really good relationship with. Once the puck drops and you get through the first shift there, it’ll be hockey as usual, but it’ll be my first time going through it.”

Devils’ Storylines 

Jack Hughes’ Strong Start

Jack Hughes is currently in a logjam for second place in NHL scoring, despite a small sample size of games. Three of his six points came against the New York Rangers on Tuesday. He’s also riding a three game point streak to start the season.

Devils Head Coach Lindy Ruff had high praise for his young forward after Tuesday’s game. “I thought he was quick, he was deliberate, he was making plays,” he said. “Every time he was on the ice, something good was happening. I want to see his game grow and what I’ve seen in the first three games is probably way ahead of where I thought he could be.”

MacKenzie Blackwood Shines Early On

MacKenzie Blackwood has started all three games for the Devils so far this season. This comes after Corey Crawford retired just weeks before the season started. The former Chicago Blackhawk was likely going to relieve Blackwood throughout the season. But Blackwood has been up to the task so far, posting a .948 SV% and 1.89 GAA in three games played this season.

Jack Hughes credited his goaltender for the team’s early success this season. “He’s the reason we’re winning hockey games,” Hughes said about Blackwood. “He’s obviously playing great, [it] gives us a lot of confidence knowing that he’s back there and he’s gonna shut the door.”

Where to Watch

Puck drop from Nassau Coliseum should be just after 7:00 p.m. tonight. MSG+ has the Islanders broadcast and MSG+ 2 will cover the Devils (check your local guide for channel listings). Pregame coverage on both channels will start at 6:30 p.m.

Ben Baruch

Born and raised on Long Island. Isles fan since 2009. Studying journalism at the University of Maryland, College Park.