The New York Islanders are back in action tonight, beginning a two-game set against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Islanders are coming off of a huge 7-2 victory over the Boston Bruins, in which they scored five unanswered goals in the third period. The Penguins enter tonight’s game after suffering a 5-2 loss to the Washington Capitals on Thursday.

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The Last Matchup

In the Islanders’ last matchup against the Penguins, they had trouble finding the back of the net. In a game in which the Islanders controlled most of the play, outshooting Pittsburgh 35-18, the Penguins still won 3-2. The Penguins took advantage of the Islanders’ mistakes and found away to leave the arena with two points.

Islanders’ Offense

The Islanders have had streaky offensive production this season, and this past week has been a perfect demonstration of their inconsistency. They struggled to score against the Penguins last weekend, but they found the back of the net seven times against the Bruins on Saturday. If the Islanders can bring their offensive fireworks to the Nassau Coliseum on Saturday, receiving production from all four forward lines, they will put themselves in a prime position to emerge victorious.

Sidney Crosby vs. the Islanders

Crosby played his 1000th career NHL game last Saturday, recording a pair of assists against the Islanders. Over the course of his career, Crosby has excellent against the Islanders, with 118 points in 71 games. He will look to continue his dominance tonight.

Players To Watch

Oliver Wahlstrom

Wahlstrom scored his second NHL goal on Thursday night. Since he was brought into the lineup near the beginning of the season, he has been a regular asset, and his incredible shot has created high-quality scoring chances, especially on the power-play. After recording a point in back-to-back games, Wahlstrom will look to continue to contribute his positive impact to the Islanders.

Jordan Eberle

When Jordan Eberle is hot, the Islanders tend to play well. Eberle seemingly loves to play against the Penguins, often contributing as much as anybody in the divisional showdown. Can he continue his recent surges in offensive production in tonight’s matchup?

Mike Matheson

On the ice, the Islanders might be motivated to defeat Mike Matheson. After a high hit on Johnny Boychuk over the summer in the Toronto bubble, Matheson laid a dirty hit from behind on Mathew Barzal on February 18, upsetting many Islanders––most notably, Matt Martin. Matheson also scored a goal in the last matchup between these two teams.

Score Prediction: Islanders 4, Penguins 2

The Islanders should be able to keep the offense going, finishing high-quality scoring chances, avoiding mistakes, and ultimately getting revenge on the Penguins after three consecutive losses to them. Puck drop from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum is at 7:00 PM EST.

John Smark