The New York Islanders will host the New Jersey Devils on Thursday looking to win their seventh straight game. About 1,000 Northwell Health healthcare workers will be in attendance tonight. This is the first game spectators will be allowed inside Nassau Coliseum, starting with a classy move from the organization. The Devils are coming off of a 5-4 overtime loss to the Washington Capitals, and the Isles are coming off of a shootout win over the Bruins.

Top Storylines

The Last Matchup

The Islanders visited the Devils on March 2, where they won a very uneventful game that had every goal scored in the third period. As the third opened, Oliver Wahlstrom entered the zone and sniped the puck top corner. Anders Lee scored what would be the game-winning goal just a few minutes later. Semyon Varlamov deserved a shutout but Miles Wood scored with 13 seconds left to get the Devils on the board. The Islanders won 2-1.

Wins Over the Bruins

Both teams have recently defeated the Boston Bruins in low scoring matchups. The Islanders won 2-1 in a shootout on Tuesday and the Devils won 1-0 on Sunday. These are big wins for both teams, as playing such tight defense against an offensively stacked Bruins team is a huge win.

Players to Watch

Brock Nelson

Brock Nelson has scored four goals in three consecutive games, including the game-tying power play goal on Tuesday against Boston. Nelson has been heating up lately after a slow start to the season.

Anders Lee

The captain has been nothing short of sensational this season. He is currently leading the team with 12 goals. His line did not have their best game against the Bruins on Tuesday but they have been playing so well. Lee scored the game winner on March 2 against the Devils.

Kyle Palmieri

Palmieri scored the game winner for the Devils on Sunday. It was the lone goal for the Devils as it came in a 1-0 win over the Bruins. The Smithtown, New York native will look to score more goals tonight back on Long Island.

Travis Zajac

The longtime Devil recently played in his 1,000th career game and played his best game of the season on Tuesday night. The Devils may have lost in overtime but Zajac recorded three assists in the comeback effort, helping his team get at least a point. He only has seven points this season, so a three point performance might help him heat up.

Score Prediction: Islanders 4, Devils 2

This game should be different than the last time these two teams faced off. The Islanders are on a roll and their offense is firing on all cylinders with every line contributing. The Devils outplayed the Islanders last time but had trouble scoring and couldn’t win the game, even while recording more shots. The Islanders will be more prepared and more energized for this game which will hopefully result in a win.

Puck drop is at 7 p.m. EST at Nassau Coliseum.

John Smark