Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Get your game notes: Penguins at Isles

Detroit Red Wings v New York Islanders

skates against the New York Islanders at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on November 27, 2013 in Uniondale, New York.

Bruce Bennett

Tonight on NBCSN, it’s the New York Islanders hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins starting at 7:30 p.m. ET. Following are some game notes, as compiled by the NHL on NBC research team:

• The Penguins, 2-1-0 vs. the Islanders this season, will be looking to win the season series from the Isles for the seventh consecutive season. The Pens are 27-8-2 against the Isles since the start of the 2007-08 season, 11-5-2 at Nassau Coliseum.

• The Islanders’ top line of LW Thomas Vanek – C John Tavares – RW Kyle Okposo has combined for 28 goals and 70 points since Dec. 17. All three rank in the top four in the NHL in scoring during that span. (Elias Sports Bureau)

1. John Tavares (NYI): 10-15—25 in 17 GP
2. Thomas Vanek (NYI): 8-15—23 in 18 GP
3. Sidney Crosby (PIT): 7-15—22 in 15 GP
4. Kyle Okposo (NYI): 10-12—22 in 17 GP
5. Wayne Simmonds (PHI): 12-10—22 in 18 GP

• Since 2010-11, Penguins center Sidney Crosby (32 games, most in NHL) and Islanders center John Tavares (24 games, third-most) are among the top three, in terms of most regular-season, three-point games. (Steven Stamkos, 25) During that span, Crosby has two three-point games against the Isles (including a career-high five-assist game on Mar. 10, 2013), while Tavares has one against the Penguins.

• The Islanders have six wins since Dec. 29 when overcoming a deficit of two or more goals, including five in regulation. The four teams that have the most third-period, comeback wins this season all hail from the Metropolitan Division, including the Penguins and Islanders. (Elias Sports Bureau)

Philadelphia Flyers – 9
Washington Capitals – 9
Pittsburgh Penguins – 8
N.Y. Islanders – 7

• The Islanders are 8-9-7 at Nassau Coliseum this season, and are co-owners of the fewest home wins in the NHL. Only Calgary (8-14-3) and (Edmonton is 8-13-2) have as few home wins as the Isles. Since Jan. 1, however, the Isles are 3-1-0 at home.

• The Penguins lead the NHL in both special teams categories. They are 24.7% on the power play and 88.2% on the penalty kill. The Islanders are T-19th on the power play (18.9%), but rank last with a 76.0% penalty-kill percentage.

• The Islanders have won only 46.8% of their faceoffs this season (27th in the NHL). No Isles center with more than seven faceoffs taken this season has won more than 50% of his draws. John Tavares has lost 502 of 974 draws (48.5%), the sixth-most losses in the NHL. (Sidney Crosby has the most, with 572.)

• Crosby has 80 points (24 goals, 56 assists) in 44 career games against the Islanders, his highest total against any NHL opponent. He also had 3-6=9 in five games against the Islanders when the teams met in last season’s Eastern Conference Quarterfinal.

• The Islanders’ rookie center Brock Nelson, who made his NHL debut in Game 6 of last season’s Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series vs. Pittsburgh, has scored a goal in five of his past nine games. The Warroad, Minnesota native’s four goals since Jan. 10 lead the surging team.