Islanders at Kings: California Closeout [Game #64]
Another big game for Pageau, perhaps? | Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
The Islanders look to sweep the Golden State and win their seventh straight. The New York Islanders have one game left in California, the second half of a back-to-back against the Los Angeles Kings, who are by far the strongest of the three California teams. On short rest, it will be a tall task.
But the Islanders enter the game on a six-game win streak, now back in a playoff spot. If they win tonight, they will move into third in the Metro Division.
They will be without the services of Matt Martin, out with a lower-body injury. In his stead, Hudson Fasching returns to the lineup for the first time since January 25. He lines up on the new-look fourth line, next to Kyle MacLean and elder grinder statesman Cal Clutterbuck. Ilya Sorokin starts since Semyon Varlamov went last night.
#Isles in warmups(No Martin - lower body)Nelson-Horvat-BarzalLee-Pageau-PalmieriEngvall-Cizikas-HolmstromFasching-MacLean-ClutterbuckPelech-DobsonRomanov-PulockReilly-AhoSorokinVarlamov— Andrew Gross (@AGrossNewsday) March 12, 2024
On the other side, the Kings will line up like this for former Islanders assistant coach and now interim head coach Jim Hiller—going 11/7 in front of David Rittich.
#GoKingsGo lines vs. Islanders:Turcotte-Kopitar-Byfield⁰Moore-Danault-Fiala⁰Laferriere-Dubois-Kempe⁰Lizotte-LewisAnderson-Doughty⁰Gavrikov-Roy⁰Englund-Spence⁰MoverareRittichTalbot*Kaliyev took warmup rushes but it appears Hiller going back to the 11/7 format.— Russell Morgan (@NHLRussell) March 12, 2024
Both teams need the points. Let’s roll....
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