Islanders Head Into a Wild Barn That Hasn't Lost Yet
Without Barzal and Romanov, New York must slow Kaprizov, Hughes and a Minnesota attack that keeps creating looks.
Written before the game
Minnesota comes home perfect in its own building and first in the Central. New York arrives as a wild-card club that has stayed afloat by keeping games tight, and it will be short-handed.
The gap in attack is the story. Over their last 10 games, the Wild have averaged 4.65 expected goals (how many goals their chances were worth) per game, against 2.95 for the Islanders. Minnesota also allows fewer quality looks than New York does, so the Islanders can't count on trading chances.
The standings: Minnesota is 9-3-2 with 20 points, 4-0-0 at home and on a three-game win streak. New York is 6-4-2, fifth in the Metropolitan and holding the fifth wild-card spot, with a 2-3-1 road record.
What New York needs: keep it low-event and lean on structure, with Bo Horvat, Brayden Schenn and Anthony Duclair cashing the few looks they get. Missing Mathew Barzal, Matias Maccelli, Calum Ritchie and Alexander Romanov makes that harder.
What Minnesota needs: more of the same from Kirill Kaprizov and Quinn Hughes, and steady work from Jesper Wallstedt in net.
In this story
More from this game
- Strong Player PerformanceSchaefer's Fingerprints Are on Both Islanders Goals in Minnesota
- Individual Player PerformanceSchaefer Earns Every Point Off Real Looks for Islanders
- Game SummarySchaefer Strikes Twice as Islanders Spoil Wild's Perfect Home Mark
- Hidden InsightsHorvat's Power-Play Goal Lifts Islanders After Two Near Misses