GDT: #31| Dallas Stars @ New York Islanders | December 13th | 7:00 PM | F/L 5-2

[MattMartin]

Preview

All time series record:
The Islanders lead the series 59-41-16 with the Islanders having a 3.7 GFPGA while the Stars are averaging 3.0 GFPGA. Islanders all time at home VS Dallas are 33-18-8 with a 3.8 GFPGA. The Stars are averaging 2.9 GFPGA at the Islanders.




1st meeting results: Bishop, Stars shut out Islanders 5-0
Video:





NEW YORK -- A pair of goaltenders could be in the spotlight Wednesday night when the New York Islanders host the Dallas Stars at Barclays Center in the teams' final meeting of the season.

Both teams were off Tuesday after snapping three-game losing streaks Monday night. The Islanders ended their skid by beating the visiting Washington Capitals 3-1. The Stars snapped out of their slump and began a four-game Eastern Conference road trip by outlasting the host New York Rangers 2-1 in the shootout.

The wins helped both teams in what are already shaping up to be tightly packed playoff races. The Islanders (17-10-3) are two points behind Columbus and Washington, who are tied for first in the Metropolitan Division, while the Stars (17-13-1) climbed into wild-card position in the Western Conference.

The day off means the matchup may pit the netminders who earned wins Monday in the Stars' Kari Lehtonen and the surging Jaroslav Halak.

Lehtonen notched the 299th win of his career by recording 24 saves against the Rangers and tied Miikka Kiprusoff for the most games played by a Finnish-born goaltender (623).

Lehtonen opened the season as the backup to Ben Bishop, though the two have alternated starts over the last six games. Even if he doesn't start Wednesday, Lehtonen is all but assured of getting a shot at win No. 300 on the road trip, which concludes with back-to-back games against the New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia Flyers on Friday and Saturday.

Halak and Thomas Greiss opened the season in a 50/50 timeshare for the Islanders. But Halak, who notched 31 saves Monday night, has started three straight games and seven of the last eight overall. New York is 4-2-1 under Halak in that span.

Halak is 4-6-1 in 11 career appearances against the Stars. He took the loss on Nov. 10, when he made 24 saves in a 5-0 loss in Dallas. Greiss is 5-1-0 in eight career games against Dallas.

Lehtonen is 7-6-1 in 15 career games against the Islanders. Bishop, who earned the win Nov. 10 by stopping all 14 shots he faced, is 7-4-1 in 12 appearances against New York.






Useful links

Daily Faceoff – Starting Goalies, Line Combinations, Hockey News, Scores, Schedule
Sports News, Opinion, Scores, Schedules | TSN
New York Islanders News, Scores, Schedules & Standings
Islanders - NY Daily News
New York Islanders | New York Post
Arthur Staple (@StapeNewsday) | Twitter
Official New York Islanders Website











Last game highlights.




























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[Kevin27NYI]

Lets get revenge

 

[MatthewBarnabysTears]

Thinking about it—aren't we eerily similar to the 2015-16 Dallas Stars? Awesome offense, shaky goaltending.

They had a good playoff run, so it's not the worst thing in the world. Our goalie tandem is also probably stronger—or at least more flexible, since both Lehtonen and Niemi had longterm deals for decent money.

 

[Beautvillier]

Thinking about it—aren't we eerily similar to the 2015-16 Dallas Stars? Awesome offense, shaky goaltending.

They had a good playoff run, so it's not the worst thing in the world. Our goalie tandem is also probably stronger—or at least more flexible, since both Lehtonen and Niemi had longterm deals for decent money.

our d is better imo

 

[BrockLobster]

I like our #91 better too

 

[IslandersGER]

Thinking about it—aren't we eerily similar to the 2015-16 Dallas Stars? Awesome offense, shaky goaltending.

They had a good playoff run, so it's not the worst thing in the world. Our goalie tandem is also probably stronger—or at least more flexible, since both Lehtonen and Niemi had longterm deals for decent money.

Niemi, really?!?

 

[Beautvillier]

I like our #91 better too

our 14 is a better winger than theirs too

 

[MJF]

An Isles win tonight would push us from 4th place to 1st place. Crazy Metro Division.

 

[PK Cronin]

An Isles win tonight would push us from 4th place to 1st place. Crazy Metro Division.

Yet another opportunity in the first half of the season to climb atop the standings. They've squandered nearly ever other opportunity, I'd really like to see them grab a W tonight.

 

[enigmatic]

id expect to see greiss tonight--divisional game tomorrow....i guess i can also see halak playing tonight as it is a more winnable game, but i expect greiss

 

[PK Cronin]

id expect to see greiss tonight--divisional game tomorrow....i guess i can also see halak playing tonight as it is a more winnable game, but i expect greiss

I'm hoping Halak gets rewarded for his last game, and Greiss will be motivated for the game tomorrow since it's a divisional game.

 

[PWJunior]

Yet another opportunity in the first half of the season to climb atop the standings. They've squandered nearly ever other opportunity, I'd really like to see them grab a W tonight.

We owe Dallas some payback, I hope the boys remember that game and play with some fire tonight.

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

Keep up the home cookin' boys. Pass-shoot-score.

 

[Bones45]

id expect to see greiss tonight--divisional game tomorrow....i guess i can also see halak playing tonight as it is a more winnable game, but i expect greiss

Way to make a decision, Henry.

 

[Dipietro39]

I would go with Halak. He has been the better goalie and is undefeated at home (only loss is the Sens game when he came in relief).

 

[saintunspecified]

lol, the over/under for this game is 6.

 

[enigmatic]

Way to make a decision, Henry.

hey now, bones....

 

[BrockLobster]

An Isles win tonight would push us from 4th place to 1st place. Crazy Metro Division.

They'd still be in 2nd with a win. CBJ has tie breaker

 

[Le Grec]

Doug Weight: Jaro in net tonight, same forwards. Boychuk a game time decision.

 

[KnishOfTheCrease]

Isles 9
North Stars 1

 

[Dipietro39]

Doug Weight: Jaro in net tonight, same forwards. Boychuk a game time decision.

Good decision.

Back-to-back game + @ C-BUS where we NEVER win + C-BUS just got blown out at home last night v. Oilers = game I would expect us to lose even without all the above factors.

Secure the two points tonight and play Griess tomorrow.

 

[PWJunior]

Good decision.

Back-to-back game + @ C-BUS where we NEVER win + C-BUS just got blown out at home last night v. Oilers = game I would expect us to lose even without all the above factors.

Secure the two points tonight and play Griess tomorrow.

Agreed. The CBJ is a scheduled loss. Get 2 points tonight and hope for the best tomorrow.

 

[PK Cronin]

lol, the over/under for this game is 6.

Always take the over.

They'd still be in 2nd with a win. CBJ has tie breaker

Tie breakers don't mean anything at this point in the season. It'd be a tie for first.

 

[Le Grec]

"We owe them one," was echoed by a couple guys in the room today. #Isles using their 5-0 loss to Dallas as motivation for tonight's rematch.

 

[gadiamon72]

I'd be happy with 2 points either tonight or tomorrow. Any way we can get them. 11 games until the midpoint. A record of 6-4-1 gets us on pace for 100 points.