Islanders Face Hurricanes in Crucial Matchup at Lenovo Center

RALEIGH, N.C. — The New York Islanders (4-4-1) take on the Carolina Hurricanes (6-3-0) tonight at the Lenovo Center at 7:30 PM. This match marks the first half of a back-to-back for New York, who seeks to end a two-game losing streak.

The Islanders come into the game after a disappointing 5-2 loss to the Boston Bruins on Tuesday. Despite starting strong with a 2-0 lead, the Islanders couldn’t maintain their momentum and allowed five unanswered goals, snapping their five-game point streak.

Meanwhile, the Hurricanes are eager to bounce back from their own defeat, falling 6-3 to the Vegas Golden Knights in their last game. Star forward Andrei Svechnikov recently ended an eight-game scoring drought by netting his first goal of the season, providing some hope for the team moving forward.

Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov, who was on the injured reserve for five games due to an upper-body injury, has been activated and is eager to contribute. “I want to play the same way I did in my last game against the Oilers,” Romanov stated. Head Coach Patrick Roy emphasized Romanov’s importance, noting, “He’s hard to play against when he’s physical and when he plays around the net.”

Despite Romanov’s return, the Islanders will be without center Mathew Barzal for this game due to a team decision made by Roy. Barzal, who has been performing well this season with eight points in nine games, will likely be back in the lineup for tomorrow’s game against the Washington Capitals.

In goal, David Rittich will start for the Islanders. Rittich boasts a lifetime record of 5-3-0 against Carolina, with a .916 save percentage and a 2.63 goals-against average. On the other side, the Hurricanes will start Brandon Bussi, who has had a solid start to the season, holding a 2.33 GAA and .911 SV%.

Injury updates for the Hurricanes show that several players, including Jaccob Slavin and Shayne Gostisbehere, are unavailable. Carolina has struggled with injuries recently but is hopeful that their power play, which has ranked low this season, can improve tonight. They managed to score once with the man advantage against the Golden Knights in their last outing.

Both teams are looking to break out of their respective slumps, and tonight’s matchup promises to be an exciting contest. With the stakes high, fans can expect both teams to fight hard for the win.

The puck drops at 7:30 PM, with coverage available on ESPN+ and Hulu.