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Pre-game Report (Game 19): NYI @ PIT

November 19, 2019, 5:08 PM ET [254 Comments]
Ben Shelley
New York Islanders Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The New York Islanders are in Pittsburgh tonight, facing the only team to beat them in their last 14 games. Here’s the pre-game report.

Here are the projected lineups, according to Wes Crosby:


NEW YORK

Anders Lee - Mathew Barzal - Jordan Eberle
Anthony Beauvillier - Brock Nelson - Derick Brassard
Josh Bailey - Casey Cizikas - Cal Clutterbuck
Michael Dal Colle - Otto Koivula - Leo Komarov

Adam Pelech - Ryan Pulock
Nick Leddy - Johnny Boychuk
Devon Toews - Scott Mayfield

Semyon Varlamov
Thomas Greiss


PITTSBURGH

Jake Guentzel - Evgeni Malkin - Bryan Rust
Dominik Kahun - Jared McCann - Brandon Tanev
Alex Galchenyuk - Joseph Blandisi - Dominik Simon
Zach Aston-Reese - Teddy Blueger - Sam Lafferty

Brian Dumoulin - John Marino
Marcus Pettersson - Justin Schultz
Jack Johnson - Juuso Riikola

Matt Murray
Tristan Jarry

Semyon Varlamov is expected to start for the Islanders. Despite a very good season overall, he’s struggled a bit in his last two games, allowing eight goals on 66 shots. I’m liking the Islanders’ lineup here (minus Noah Dobson being a scratch of course), in keeping Josh Bailey with Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck. Otto Koivula will get into his second game, centering Michael Dal Colle as well as Leo Komarov (who’s play style would make him a good fit for the fourth line long-term). I do wonder how much more patience the Islanders have with Dal Colle. We all want him to work out, I’m just not sure it’s really going to happen.

Matt Murray is expected to start for Pittsburgh. The Penguins are 7-3-1 at home, while New York is 5-1-0 on the road. Pittsburgh is facing a bit of adversity in the form of injuries, with Sidney Crosby, Patric Hornqvist, Nick Bjustad and Kris Letang all out.


Puck drop is at 7 p.m.


For more, follow @BenShelley_20 on Twitter.


OTHER ISLANDERS ARTICLES FROM NOVEMBER

Game Recap (Game 18): NYI vs PHI

Game Recap (Game 16): NYI vs FLA

Game Recap (Game 15): NYI vs PIT

Game Recap (Game 14): NYI vs OTT

Game Recap (Game 13): NYI
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