Islanders Begin Crucial Seven-Game Homestand Against Senators

ELMONT, N.Y. — The New York Islanders opened a season-long seven-game homestand Tuesday night with a 7:30 p.m. matchup against the Ottawa Senators at UBS Arena. The Islanders, riding a three-game winning streak, look to build momentum after a 2-1 victory over the Utah Hockey Club on Saturday.

Mathew Barzal scored the game-winning goal with 1:25 remaining in Saturday’s contest, while Brock Nelson added a goal and Marcus Hogberg made 21 saves for his first win as an Islander. Head Coach Patrick Roy emphasized the importance of staying focused. “When we’re coming from a long trip from the west, it’s always the first game back that’s the toughest one,” Roy said. “We have a lot of experience in this room, and the guys like to stay even-keel and take it one game at a time.”

The Senators enter Tuesday’s game fresh off a 3-2 win over the Dallas Stars on Sunday, completing a back-to-back sweep after shutting out the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-0 on Saturday. Josh Norris, Tim Stützle, and Matthew Highmore scored for Ottawa, while goaltender Leevi Merilainen stopped 53 of 55 shots across the two games.

Hogberg will start in goal for the Islanders, facing his former team for the first time since being drafted by the Senators in 2013. Ilya Sorokin, recovering from an illness, will sit out, giving Hogberg a chance to build on his strong performance in Utah. Defenseman Isaiah George, who missed three games with an upper-body injury, is a game-time decision, while Alexander Romanov remains day-to-day.

The Islanders lead the season series 2-0-0, having defeated the Senators 4-2 in both meetings in Ottawa earlier this season. However, New York has struggled at home, posting a 7-9-2 record at UBS Arena. Their power play has also been a concern, going 0-for-24 over the last 13 games, the longest stretch without a power-play goal in franchise history.

Ottawa, meanwhile, has been strong on the road, with a 10-11-2 record away from home. The Senators’ power play ranks 10th in the NHL at 24.1%, and they are led offensively by Tim Stützle, who has 43 points this season. Captain Brady Tkachuk, who has 18 goals, will look to break out of a recent slump, having scored just twice in his last 10 games.

With both teams dealing with goaltending uncertainties, the matchup promises to be tightly contested. The Islanders aim to extend their winning streak, while the Senators look to continue their strong December form, which included a six-game winning streak.