On Saturday evening, the NHL matchup will feature the New York Islanders facing off against the Nashville Predators at UBS Arena, starting at 7 p.m. ET. This game is critical as the Islanders sit eighth in the Eastern Conference standings with a record of 30 wins, 19 losses, and 5 overtime losses, while the Predators are positioned 11th in the Western Conference, holding a record of 24 wins, 23 losses, and 6 overtime losses.
In terms of injuries, the Islanders will miss several key players including Calum Ritchie (lower body), Semyon Varlamov (knee), Kyle Palmieri (knee), Pierre Engvall (ankle), and Alexander Romanov, who is out for the season with an upper body injury. The Predators will be without defenseman Nicolas Hague due to a lower body issue.
As the teams prepare to meet, several stats stand out. Mathew Barzal has been a standout player for the Islanders, accumulating 44 points this season from 13 goals and 31 assists. On the defensive side, Ilya Sorokin has been pivotal, allowing 76 goals with a goals-against average of 2.39 and recording 832 saves.
For the Predators, Ryan O’Reilly has been a significant contributor with 51 total points, including 18 goals and 33 assists. However, Juuse Saros has struggled somewhat, holding an .895 save percentage, ranking 39th in the league, with 1,023 saves and a goals-against average of 3.0.
Fans can catch the game broadcasted on ESPN+. This matchup promises an exciting evening of hockey as both teams seek to improve their standings and clinch valuable points in the race for playoff positions.