After nearly a week off following a 0-3-2 road trip, the Islanders will welcome the Pittsburgh Penguins to Nassau Coliseum for the first of eight meetings as they’ll try to end a five-game losing streak.

The Islanders dropped games to New Jersey, Washington, and Philadelphia during the five-game skid. They were supposed to face the Buffalo Sabres twice this week, but both games were postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the Sabres’ organization.

Pittsburgh is in a similar spot as the Isles. They planned to host New Jersey for a two-game series this week. However, the NHL postponed the games because of an outbreak in New Jersey. The Devils and Sabres faced off last week, and the virus may have spread between the two teams during those games.

Islanders Storylines

Regrouping and “Adjusting” After a Five-Game Skid

Perhaps not playing Buffalo was a blessing in disguise for the Isles, giving the Islanders more time to prepare for the Penguins during a five-game losing streak.

The league didn’t cancel Tuesday’s game until the day of. The Islanders intended on holding a morning skate before the game but turned it into a formal practice after learning the news.

“It was pretty seamless considering the last minute adjustment,” Head Coach Barry Trotz said Tuesday about the change of plans. “We were sort of prepared for it. We just practiced. Our guys are a mature group. We’ve seen it a few times in the league and we’re part of it. We adjusted. There was not a lot of scramble, just readjusting.”

🎥 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 🎥 pic.twitter.com/n6m83Y2HbN

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) February 3, 2021

Trotz added that the cancellations helped his team step away from hockey for a bit. “What it does is we’ll get one day away from the game,” Trotz said. “The game can consume you because you’re going every second day. If things aren’t going really well things can linger, but at the same time, when we get back we’ve got to be ready to go.”

More Lineup News

The Islanders juggled their lines a lot during their road trip after the Isles placed Anthony Beauvillier on IR. He left January 25th’s game against the Devils with a lower-body injury.

Most of the changes came on the third line. In the first game, Oliver Wahlstrom and Kieffer Bellows skated alongside J.G. Pageau. The following night, Michael Dal Colle and Austin Czarnik played with Pageau. Leo Komarov and Dmytro Timashov each played one game on the second line, in Beauvillier’s spot. On Thursday, Newsday’s Andrew Gross reported that Beauvillier resumed skating, but Barry Trotz ruled him out for tonight’s game. Following five straight losses, expect more shakeups prior to puck drop.

Trotz hasn’t announced a starting netminder either. Semyon Varlamov has all three Isles’ wins, but Ilya Sorokin has played well in his three appearances. Sorokin made 25 saves against Philadelphia on Sunday, including a glove save on a five-on-three and a pad stop late in the third to keep the game tied at three.

Penguins Storylines

Rookie defenseman Pierre-Oliver Joseph scored three points in Pittsburgh’s January 30th win against the Rangers. The Penguins acquired him from the Arizona Coyotes along with Alex Galchenyuk in exchange for Phil Kessel in June 2019. Joseph is averaging 15:06 of ice time in six games, and the Penguins control 52.9% of shots attempted when he’s on the ice.

The fourth-place Penguins also have some inexperienced faces in net. Tristian Jarry and Casey DeSmith have shared the crease, with Jarry picking up two wins and DeSmith another three. Still, both goalies have a sub-.900 save percentage, well below the league average. Each are playing their third season with Pittsburgh.

Meanwhile, Evgeni Malkin recently expressed frustration with his game. After January 28th game against Boston, Malkin only had three points in eight games.

“I need to look at myself in the mirror and I need [more] fight in my body, I need [more] fight in myself, and help the team to win,” Malkin said after that game. “I understand that. I’m not happy with my game right now. It’s just come to the rink every day, work, and fight every shift. It’s hard to play right now. Without fans, it’s a little bit different. But we’re all in the same situation right now. I include myself too.”

However, Malkin had an assist in each of the Penguins’ two games against the Rangers, bringing him to five points in 10 games. He has dominated the Islanders throughout his career, scoring 78 points in 64 games played. Sidney Crosby leads the team in points and goals and is also an “Isles-killer,” scoring 113 points against them in his career.

Where to Watch

MSG+ has the Islanders covered for Saturday night, with the pregame show starting at 6:30 p.m. Puck drop should be a few minutes after 7 p.m. The game is also streaming on ESPN+.

Ben Baruch

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