NEW YORK ISLANDERS (22-20-7) VS PHILADELPHIA FLYERS (23-23-6)
7:30 PM | WELLS FARGO CENTER
WATCH: ESPN+ | HULU
LISTEN: 88.7FM | 103.9FM | ISLANDERS + UBS ARENA APP
After a successful homestand, the New York Islanders are looking to stay hot on the road, as they open a three-game trip in Philadelphia on Thursday night.
The Islanders went 5-2-0 on their recent homestand, and are currently riding a season-long, five-game winning streak, most recently beating the Colorado Avalanche 5-2. The Isles’ five-game winning streak is the longest active streak in the NHL.
The Isles have outscored opponents 18-7 during the five-game winning streak.
The Flyers are coming off a 5-0 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night. Philadelphia is 1-3-0 in its last four games and have been outscored 16-6 over that span.
There are real stakes to Thursday’s game, as the Islanders (51 points) can leapfrog the Flyers (52 points) with a win, since the Isles hold three games in hand over their Metropolitan Division rivals.
SEASON SERIES:
The Islanders and Flyers split the first two games of their season series, with Philadelphia winning 5-3 on Jan. 16, and the Isles getting even with a 3-1 win on Jan. 24. The two teams will wrap their season series on April 12 in Philly.ISLES NOTES:
- The Islanders are 8-2-0 in their last 10 games. Their third periods have improved dramatically, with the Isles outscoring opponents 14-6 in the third and OT over that span.- Alexander Romanov has goals in consecutive games for the first time in his career and has matched a career-long with a three-game point streak (2G, 2A). Romanov has also played north of 25 minutes in each of the past two games. The physical defenseman has also thrown 17 hits – including a big hit on Cale Makar on Tuesday – in the past three games.
- Bo Horvat is riding a six-game point streak with eight points (5G, 3A) over that span. The Isles center is also up to eight goals in his last 10 games. Horvat has three points (2G, 1A) in the two meetings against the Flyers this season.
- Ilya Sorokin has won four straight appearances (three starts and one relief appearance). Sorokin has stopped 85-of-89 shots and is sporting a 1.32 GAA and a .955 SV% over that span.
- Simon Holmstrom set a new career-high on Tuesday with his 26th point of the season. Holmstrom has 12 goals and 14 points in 42 games this season, surpassing his previous career-high of 25 points (15G, 10A) in 75 games last season.
- Newly-acquired defensemen Tony DeAngelo and Scott Perunovich both recorded their first points with the Islanders in Tuesday’s win. DeAngelo has played in two games with the Islanders since being signed on Friday, while Perunovich made his Isles debut on Tuesday.
FLYERS NOTES:
- Samuel Ersson started Wednesday’s game against the Devils, but was pulled after allowing four goals on 16 shots just over the midpoint of the contest. Ivan Fedotov stopped nine of the 10 shots he saw in relief.- Owen Tippett left Wednesday’s game following a second period hit from Brenden Dillon and did not return. Tippett has 30 points (14G, 16A) in 52 games this season, which ranks third on the Flyers.
- Travis Konecny leads the Flyers in goals (21), assists (37) and points (58). The Flyers forward had a three-game assist streak (4A) snapped in Wednesday’s loss.
- The Flyers have won their last four home games, dating back to Jan. 11. Philadelphia is 12-11-1 at Wells Fargo Center this season.
- The Flyers are 1-7-1 in the back-half of back-to-back sets this season, including a 3-1 loss to the Islanders on Jan. 24.
- The Flyers lead the NHL with 956 blocked shots.
