(SportsNetwork.com) – The New York Islanders will try to rebound from a
surprising loss when they continue a road trip with Tuesday’s battle against
the Vancouver Canucks.
The Islanders, who are tied with Pittsburgh for the Metropolitan Division
lead, carried a three-game winning streak into Sunday’s game against the NHL’s
basement dwellers, the Edmonton Oilers. New York would lose the contest by a
5-2 score, as the Oilers dealt the Isles only their second regulation defeat
of the last 10 games (7-2-1).
Islanders head coach Jack Capuano felt his team made things too easy for
Edmonton on Sunday.
“We gave them three gifts and an empty-netter,” said Capuano. “We were
physical, we did a lot of good things, but at the end of the day it’s about
execution and there are some guys that need to look in the mirror.”
Johnny Boychuk picked up a goal and assisted on the other for the Islanders,
who could have vaulted over idle Pittsburgh back into sole possession of first
place in the Metro with a single point. New York has the same opportunity
tonight, as the Penguins are idle again tonight before hosting Boston on
Wednesday.
Jaroslav Halak surrendered four goals on 22 shots in Sunday’s loss. Halak
expects to start tonight against Vancouver. He is 5-3-1 with a 2.22 goals
against average in his career against the Canucks.
Despite the loss to the Oilers, New York still owns a solid 12-8-1 record as
the visiting team this season. Tonight’s test is the final tilt of the
Canadian portion of a six-game road trip, which will finish with games against
New Jersey, Columbus and the New York Rangers.
New York has won two of its last three games in Vancouver, including a 7-4 win
at Rogers Arena when the clubs last met on March 10, 2014. That win also
halted a three-game overall skid in the series for the Islanders.
Vancouver has split the first two games of a five-game homestand and is 10-6-1
on home ice this season. The Canucks are 4-1-1 overall since suffering through
a season-worst five-game losing streak from Dec. 6-17.
The Canucks lost a 3-2 regulation decision to visiting Los Angeles on New
Year’s Day, but rebounded with Saturday’s 4-1 triumph over the Detroit Red
Wings. Ryan Miller stopped 29 shots and Henrik Sedin scored a pair of empty-
net goals in Vancouver’s win over the Detroit.
Radim Vrbata and Alexander Edler each lit the lamp, and Daniel Sedin had three
assists for the Canucks. Vancouver went 2-for-4 on the power play and killed
off all three of Detroit’s chances with the man advantage.
“We had a good night on the specialty teams. That was probably the
difference,” Canucks coach Willie Desjardins said.
Miller moved to 3-10-2 all-time against the Red Wings. Vancouver’s No. 1 could
get the call again tonight and he owns a 16-9-2 record and a 2.99 GAA in his
career against the Isles.
The Canucks enter tonight tied with Los Angeles for second place in the
Pacific Division. The Kings are idle on Tuesday.
