Rookie Devon Toews was among three different Islanders to score in the first period en route to a 5-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning at Barclays Center. >> Box score

First period:

• 1:21 NYI Brock Nelson (power play); Assists: Jordan Eberle, Mathew Barzal
• 4:27 NYI Cal Clutterbuck; Assists: Matt Martin, Casey Cizikas
• 4:43 NYI Devon Toews

"What a difference a year makes."

The old adage seemingly applies to the New York Islanders' turnaround this season.

The Islanders play host to the scorching hot Tampa Bay Lightning at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Sunday night as both Eastern Conference teams comes off games the day before.

The Rangers finally broke their five-game slump on Saturday, edging the Islanders at the Barclays Center, 2-1, courtesy of a go-ahead goal from Mats Zuccarello 14:55 into the final period and 24 saves out of goaltender Alexander Georgiev. >> Box score

First period:

• N/A

When the New York Islanders and New York Rangers split a pair of high-scoring games in November, it appeared both teams might stay in contention for postseason spots in the Eastern Conference.

Nearly two months later, the Islanders are ascending while the Rangers are dealing with a significant tailspin and falling way behind in the playoff race.

On Saturday afternoon, the teams will get together for the last time this season and for the last time at Brooklyn's Barclays Center when then Rangers visit the Islanders in the back end of a home-and-home set. >> Read more

Josh Bailey buried the game-winner with less than two minutes left in a 4-3 win over the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night. >> Box score

First period:

• 1:38 NYR Ryan Strome (Power Play); Assists: Jimmy Vesey, Filip Chytil
• 2:31 NYI Mathew Barzal; Assists: Johnny Boychuk
• 8:51 NYI Jordan Eberle (Power Play); Assists: Anders Lee, Mathew Barzal

A battle against your cross-town rival is one way to snap out of a funk. Both the Islanders and Rangers need a victory Thursday night as the teams prepare to play against each other at Madison Square Garden in the front end of a home-and-home. 
 
The Rangers must find a way to prevent the ship from completely collapsing after an ugly four-game losing streak in which they were outscored 22-5 and Henrik Lundqvist was chased from the net twice.
 
The Islanders fell to the Hurricanes on Tuesday, snapping an impressive six-game winning streak highlighted by a dominant 4-0 win over the Maple Leafs in Toronto. 

The Islanders scored four straight goals, three of which in the third period, and held off the Blues late comeback effort to secure a 4-3 road victory.  Read more >>

First period: 

• 4:11 STL Brayden Schenn; Assists: Jaden Schwartz, Jay Bouwmeester
• 16:37 STL Zach Sanford; Assists: Vince Dunn, Tyler Bozak

As expected, the first meeting of the season between the St. Louis Blues and the New York Islanders will pit a team with one of the worst records in the NHL against one vying for a playoff spot.

But the Blues and Islanders will be occupying different spots than most projected Saturday night, when St. Louis hosts New York.

Both teams are coming off home wins Thursday. The Blues beat the Washington Capitals 5-2, and the Islanders edged the Chicago Blackhawks, 3-2 in overtime.

Islanders rookie defenseman Devon Toews scored his first-career NHL goal 1:48 into overtime to give New York a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday at Nassau Coliseum.

"It's pretty special to get your first NHL goal in overtime," Islanders head coach Barry Trotz said, according to Newsday's Andrew Gross.

The 24-year-old Toews, a former fourth-round pick who had spent 130 games with AHL Bridgeport before making his debut on Dec. 23, took a shot from the right face-off circle that Blackhawks goalie Collin Delia initially stopped. But Toews picked up the rebound and shot the puck between Delia's legs for the winner.

Islanders rookie D Devon Toews' first NHL goal was an overtime winner to lift New York over the Blackhawks, 3-2, at the Coliseum on Thursday night.  Read more >>

First period: 

• 3:05 CHI Dominik Kahun; Assists: Brandon Saad, Duncan Keith
• 6:47 NYI Mathew Barzal; Assists: Anthony Beauvillier, Johnny Boychuk

Islanders young star C Mathew Barzal has been selected to represent his team in the 2019 NHL All-Star Game. 

Barzal, who will play in his first career All-Star Game, has been the center of the Isles' success on the offensive end this season. He leads the team with 36 points, and has a team-high 26 assists as well.

This selection comes a few days after being named the Player of the Week in the NHL. He had six points with five goals and one assist last week that came on a hat-trick last Saturday against the Maple Leafs. 

The San Jose Sharks' SAP Center will be the location for the All-Star Game that will take place on January 26.

The New York Islanders took care of business on the road against the Buffalo Sabres after grabbing a 3-1 win on Monday. Read more >>

First period: 

No goals scored

>> Box score

First period:

• N/A

Second period:

• 6:20 DAL Tyler Pitlick; Assists: Mattias Janmark, Jason Spezza
• 14:10 NYI Casey Cizikas

The Islanders won for the fourth time in their last five games when they defeated the Dallas Stars 3-1 on Sunday at American Airlines Center. >> Box score

First period:

• N/A

Second period:

• 6:20 DAL Tyler Pitlick; Assists: Mattias Janmark, Jason Spezza
• 14:10 NYI Casey Cizikas

The Islanders bid farewell to their three-game winning streak after allowing three goals in the third period to the Vegas Golden Knights in a 4-2 loss. >> Box score

First period:

• 18:30 NYI Mathew Barzal; Assists: Josh Bailey
• 19:38 NYI Brock Nelson; Assists: Jordan Eberle, Ryan Pulock

Second period:

• 8:48 VGK Brandon Pirri (Power play); Assists: Nate Schmidt, Cody Eakin

Third period:

• 6:22 VGK William Karlsson; Assists: Shea Theodore, Nate Schmidt
• 7:25 VGK Paul Stastny; Assists: Reilly Smith, Nick Holden
• 1945 VGK Nate Schmidt (Empty net); Unassisted

The Islanders continued their winning ways out west with a 3-1 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes on Tuesday night. >> Box score

First period:

• 9:14 PHO Mario Kempe; Assists: Alex Goligoski, Nick Cousins
• 17:04 NYI Joshua Ho-Sang; Assists: Ryan Pulock, Valterri Filpulla

Second period:

• 3:38 NYI Brock Nelson; Assists: Jordan Eberle, Ryan Pulock
• 8:29 NYI Anthony Beauvillier; Assists: Josh Bailey

The Islanders started their four-game West Coast road trip with a 4-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Monday at Pepsi Center. >> Box score

First period:

• 18:20 NYI Jordan Eberle; Assists: Brock Nelson, Anders Lee

Second period:

• 2:07 NYI Johnny Boychuk (power play); Assists: Ryan Pulock, Josh Bailey
• 6:45 COL Gabriel Landeskog (power play); Assists: Tyson Barrie, Nathan MacKinnon
• 18:25 NYI Ander Lee (power play); Assists: Nick Leddy, Jordan Eberle

Hitting the road isn't normally seen as a good thing for NHL teams, but the New York Islanders are embracing their longest trip of the season to date.

New York (15-12-4) starts a four-game Western Conference swing Monday night at Colorado with a good attitude and with the hope of building momentum after a 4-3 shootout win over Detroit on Saturday night.

"I think it's kind of nice, get on the road, be together as a group, kind of get that bonding again," center Mathew Barzal told Newsday after the win over the Red Wings. "I get excited playing in front of other fans. I think we all do."

Mathew Barzal scored the game-tying goal and helped lead his time to victory with a goal during a shootout as the Islanders edged the Red Wings, 4-3, on Saturday night at the Nassau Coliseum. >> Box score

NEW YORK (AP) Tomas Nosek scored the tiebreaking goal early in the third period and the surging Vegas Golden Knights beat the New York Islanders 3-2 on Wednesday night.

Jonathan Marchessault and William Karlsson also scored to help the Golden Knights win for the 10th time in 13 games. Marc-Andre Fleury, making his 11th straight start, stopped 23 shots to take over the NHL victory lead with 18.

Anthony Beauvillier and Adam Pelech scored for New York. The Islanders have lost six of eight (2-4-2). Robin Lehner finished with 14 saves to fall to 0-4-2 in his last seven appearances.

NEW YORK -- On Wednesday night, the New York Islanders might begin to get an extended look at the goaltender they thought could serve as a No. 1 netminder this season.

And the Vegas Golden Knights might finally get re-acquainted with their biggest offseason addition.

Goalie Robin Lehner could receive a second straight start for the Islanders on Wednesday night, when they host the Golden Knights -- and possibly center Paul Stastny -- at Barclays Center.

The Islanders blew a 1-0 lead in the third period and lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 in a five-round shootout on Monday at Nassau Coliseum. >> Box score

Shootout:

• NYI Mathew Barzal: MISS
• PIT Phil Kessel: GOAL
• NYI Leo Komarov: MISS
• PIT Sidney Crosby: MISS
• NYI Josh Bailey: GOAL
• PIT Evgeni Malkin: MISS
• NYI Anthony Beauvillier: MISS
• PIT Kris Letang: MISS
• NYI Valtteri Filppula: MISS
• PIT Jake Guentzel: GOAL

After allowing the first two goals of the game to the hometown Red Wings, the New York Islanders and goaltender Thomas Greiss (23 saves on 25 shots) locked in and buckled down defensively en route to a 3-2 comeback victory on Saturday. Matt Martin's third-period goal proved to be the decisive tally as the Islanders completed a comeback from a 2-0 deficit in the first period.

DETROIT -- Gustav Nyquist may not be in the Detroit Red Wings future plans, but he's a big part of their present.

Nyquist, a right winger, has five goals and 10 assists in his last six games and is tied with Dylan Larkin for the team lead in points with 26 (seven goals and 19 assists).

Detroit (13-12-4) hosts the New York Islanders (13-11-3) at Little Caesars Arena at Saturday night. The Islanders are 1-3-1 in their past five games and have only scored eight goals in that span.

The 1995-96 Islanders season was an unmitigated disaster, and Billy Joel is partially to blame. 

That was the season the Islanders decided to change their logo and introduce a new mascot -- a fisherman -- to help boost merchandise sales and reinvigorate the fanbase, but it did not quite catch on. 

Per the New York Post, Nicholas Hirshon details in his new book, "We Want Fish Sticks: The Bizarre and Infamous Rebranding of the New York Islanders," that ownership wanted to capture what constituted an "Islander."

Sidney Crosby and Phil Kessel each had three points for the Penguins as they shut down the Islanders with a 6-2 victory Thursday night. >> Box score

First period:

• 8:34 PIT Kris Letang; Assists: Derick Brassard, Phil Kessel
• 17:43 NYI Brock Nelson (Short handed); Assists: Tom Kuhnhackl, Scott Mayfield
• 19:31 PIT Kris Letang; Assists: Bryan Rust, Brian Dumoulin

Second period:

• 7:21 PIT Riley Sheahan; Assists: Evgeni Malkin, Jamie Oleksiak
• 12:09 PIT Phil Kessel (Power play); Assists: Sidney Crosby, Jake Guentzel
• 17:37 PIT Phil Kessel; Assists: Sidney Crosby, Jake Guentzel

Third period:

• 4:23 NYI Anders Lee; Assists: Ryan Pulock
• 13:00 PIT Sidney Crosby; Assists: Phil Kessel, Jake Guentzel

The Pittsburgh Penguins are hoping to hang on tight to what happened early in the third period in their game Tuesday. The New York Islanders are hoping to forget the early part of their most recent third period.

The two teams clash Thursday at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh

Patric Hornqvist proclaimed that the Penguins (11-10-5) reached a turning point for the better Tuesday after he scored a natural hat trick in a span of 2:47 -- a club record for a hat trick -- in the third period of a 6-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche.

Thomas Greiss stopped 21 of 23 shots for the Islanders but three unanswered goals in the third period doom them in 3-1 loss to Jets. >> Box score

First period:

• N/A

Second period:

• N/A

NEW YORK -- After making an emotional return to Nassau Coliseum Saturday night, the New York Islanders will have to adjust to playing in their second home Tuesday.

But the Islanders won't be the only team at Barclays Center coming off an exhilarating and exhausting victory Tuesday night, when they host the Winnipeg Jets in the first game of the season between the two squads.

The Islanders, playing at their original home for the first time since the 2015 playoffs, came back from a two-goal deficit Saturday night to edge the Columbus Blue Jackets, 3-2. The Jets outdid that Sunday night, when they came back from a three-goal third-period deficit to beat the host New York Rangers, 4-3, in the shootout.

Fans from near and far, young and old, packed Nassau Coliseum on Saturday night as the Islanders returned to their roots for the first of 21 games in Uniondale.

It felt as if the Islanders took a 270-game road trip after leaving the Coliseum back in 2015. While the building underwent several renovations, the atmosphere and infrastructure didn't change.

"The only way to describe this is that we are home," said Frankie Borrelli, a Barstool Sports personality who organized a tailgate of approximately 250 people. "You just get the goosebumps just looking at this arena. See all the fans back home."

NEW YORK (AP) Casey Cizikas scored the tiebreaking goal in the third period and the New York Islanders won in their return to the Nassau Coliseum, rallying to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2 Saturday night.

Anders Lee and Anthony Beauvillier scored in the second period to tie the score after the Islanders fell behind, and Thomas Greiss stopped 28 shots. Scott Mayfield and Jordan Eberle each had two assists to help New York improve to 10-2-0 against Metropolitan Division opponents this season.

Markus Hannikainen and Pierre-Luc Dubois scored for Columbus, which had won two straight. Cam Atkinson had an assist for his 300th career point and extending his point streak to 10 games. Sergei Bobrovsky finished with 26 saves.

UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- The first game of the season between the New York Islanders and Columbus Blue Jackets matches two Metropolitan Division contenders in a clash that could certainly impact the playoff picture come April.

But everyone knows the main attraction Saturday night will not be the teams but the building in which they're playing.

The Islanders make their long-awaited return to Nassau Coliseum, which was the franchise's home from the team's debut in 1972 until the spring of 2015, when they host the Blue Jackets. 

Nassau Coliseum has been as much a part of the fabric of Long Island as the Islanders themselves. And despite its flaws, the thundering crowds had always created a true home-ice advantage that helped the organization make its mark on NHL history.

The Islanders will play the first of 21 regular - season games at the Coliseum when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday. While the Islanders await construction of a new arena in Belmont, they will play at least half of their regular-season home games at the "new Old Barn" over the next three seasons.

While the unique arrangement will present scheduling challenges, the current crop of players relishes the chance to play in the Coliseum once again.

Robin Lehner stopped 27 of 28 shots for the Islanders but Ryan Donato beat him in the shootout to lift the Bruins to a 2-1 win. >> Box score

First period:

• 12:17 NYI Anders Lee; Assists: Mathew Barzal, Scott Mayfield

Second period:

BOSTON -- Rick Middleton's name is all over the Boston Bruins' record books.

It hasn't been enough to send the man they call 'Nifty' into the Hall of Fame -- but it is enough to get his No. 16 raised to the TD Garden rafters prior to Thursday night's game against the New York Islanders.

Acquired from the New York Rangers in exchange for Ken Hodge -- the latter reunited with Phil Esposito in New York, Middleton is third in goals (402), even strength goals (275), and shooting percentage (20.0), fourth in points (898) goals created (357.2), and goals for on ice (1,319), fifth in power play goals (102), sixth in assists (496) and game winning goals (52), tied for sixth in hat tricks), seventh in shots (2,007), eighth in games played (881) and goals per game (0.46) and 10th in plus-minus (plus-220). >> Read More

In Barry Trotz's first game against his former team, the Islanders lost to the Washington Capitals 4-1 on Monday at Barclays Center. >> Box score

First period:

• 0:36 NYI Valtteri Filppula; Assists: Ryan Pulock, Leo Komarov
• 2:50 WAS Tom Wilson; Assists: Nicklas Backstrom, Madison Bowey

Second period:

• 7:58 WAS Nic Dowd; Assists: Dmitrij Jaskin, John Carlson

Barry Trotz and the Washington Capitals were last in the same building together June 7, when they experienced the cathartic joy of the Capitals' first Stanley Cup championship.

It didn't take long for joy to be replaced by the cold realities of business for Trotz and the Capitals, who couldn't agree on terms of a new contract before Trotz, who coached last season as a lame duck, announced he would leave the organization June 18.

Three days later, Trotz agreed to become the head coach of the New York Islanders. And on Monday night, 172 days after Washington clinched the Stanley Cup by beating the Vegas Golden Knights, Trotz will finally reunite with his former employers and players when the Islanders host the Capitals at Barclays Center.

The Islanders dominated the Hurricanes on their home ice in a 4-1 win at Barclays Center on Saturday night. >> Box Score

First period:

• 3:39 NYI Valtteri Filppula; Assists: Leo Komarov, Scott Mayfield
• 9:01 NYI Anthony Beauvillier; Assists: Josh Bailey, Mathew Barzal

NEW YORK - The Carolina Hurricanes are finally beginning to establish a home ice advantage. They'll be the visiting team Saturday night, when the New York Islanders move one home game closer to recovering what used to be one of the most distinct home ice advantages in the NHL.

The Islanders will play their penultimate Saturday night game of the season at Barclays Center when they host the Hurricanes in a matchup of surprising Metropolitan Division contenders.

The Islanders made a roster swap, recalling C Tanner Fritz while sending LW Michael Dal Colle down to Bridgeport, the team announced on Saturday.

Fritz has played two games with the Isles so far this season, collecting an assist back on Oct. 6 against the Predators. He played in 34 games with New York last season, totaling seven points (three goals, four assists). 

Dal Colle has also played two games with the Islanders this season, his last coming on Nov. 21 against the Rangers. He didn't record a point. 

The Devils managed to force overtime with just seconds left in the third period, but Mathew Barzal put home the golden goal in a 4-3 loss at The Rock on Friday night. >> Box Score

First period:

• 7:24 NYI Jordan Eberle; Assists: Anthony Beauvillier

A pair of Metropolitan Division rivals return to action following U.S. Thanksgiving to face off Friday afternoon when the New Jersey Devils host the New York Islanders at Prudential Center.

It is the second meeting this season between the teams, who are separated by 16 miles, a pair of rivers and only two points in the standings. Back on Nov. 3, the Islanders (10-8-2) beat the Devils (9-9-2) 3-0 behind Thomas Greiss' 35-save shutout.

The Islanders were unable to muster up whatever magic they found last week against the Rangers, failing to score a goal against backup goalie Alexandar Georgiev in a 5-0 shutout loss. >> Recap

First period:

• 0:29 NYR  Filip Chytil; Assists: Kevin Shattenkirk, Chris Kreider
• 3:30 NYR Cody McLeod; Assists: Tony DeAngelo, Ryan Strome
• 8:04 NYR Neal Pion (Power Play); Assists: Vladeslav Namestnikov, Mika Zibanejad

The Rangers, Islanders and Devils all have some young, talented members on their teams, which begs the question: Who is the best young hockey player in New York?

SNY narrowed down three candidate and a look at some of their stats through the first quarter of the 2018-19 season. 

NEW YORK -- The New York Rangers are shaking things up Wednesday in hopes of snapping a lengthy losing streak against the New York Islanders. If the words spoken Sunday afternoon by coach Barry Trotz were any indication, the Islanders will be shuffling the deck as well.

Backup goalie Alexander Georgiev will make a rare start for the Rangers on Wednesday night when they host the Islanders in a battle of longtime rivals at Madison Square Garden.

Both teams are coming off a game against the visiting Dallas Stars. The Rangers continued their recent hot play Monday with a 2-1 win over the Stars, who began a five-game road trip Sunday by routing the Islanders 6-2.

NEW YORK (AP) Esa Lindell scored twice during Dallas' four-goal second period and the Stars beat the New York Islanders 6-2 Sunday.

Alexander Radulov had two goals and an assist, Tyler Seguin had a goal and two assists, and Roope Hintz also scored for the Stars, who have won two straight. Jamie Benn had three assists, Jason Spezza had two to top 900 points in his career, and Ben Bishop stopped 37 shots.

Anthony Beauvillier and Scott Mayfield scored for the Islanders, who lost in regulation for the third time in 12 games (7-3-2). Thomas Greiss had 16 saves, but was pulled after giving up three goals on six shots in the first 7:08 of the second period. Robin Lehner came on and finished with 11 saves.

NEW YORK -- A pair of teams off decidedly different yet equally unprecedented victories will square off Sunday afternoon, when the New York Islanders host the Dallas Stars at Barclays Center.

The Islanders last played Thursday night, when they remained perfect in the Metropolitan Division and continued their dominance over the New York Rangers with a 7-5 win over their arch-rivals at Barclays Center. The Stars edged the visiting Boston Bruins on Friday night, when Jason Dickinson scored 1:34 into overtime to give Dallas the 1-0 win.

With their franchise-record eighth straight win over the Rangers, the Islanders (10-6-2) improved to 7-0-0 in the Metro. It is the Islanders' best divisional start ever and the first time since the 2012-13 season an NHL team has won its first seven divisional games.

Anthony Beauvillier scored his first career hat trick as the Islanders topped the Rangers in a 7-5 barn burner at Barclays Center. >> Box score

First period:

• 5:00 NYR Chris Kreider (power play); Assists: Neal Pionk, Mika Zibanejad
• 5:35 NYR Fredrik Claesson; Assists: Brett Howden
• 9:35 NYI Anthony Beauvillier; Assists: Thomas Hickey, Valtteri Filppula
• 10:38 NYI Brock Nelson; Assists: Nick Leddy, Jordan Eberle

Second period:

• 2:24 NYI Anthony Beauvillier; Assists: Valtteri Filppula, Leo Komarov
• 3:21 NYR Kevin Hayes (shorthanded); Assists: None
• 5:13 NYI Anthony Beauvillier (power play; hat trick); Assists: Johnny Boychuk, Mathew Barzal
• 14:04 NYI Anders Lee (power play); Assists: Nick Leddy, Josh Bailey

Third period:

• 9:56 NYI Leo Komarov; Assists: Valtteri Filppula, Anthony Beauvillier
• 13:13 NYR Chris Kreider (power play); Assists: Neal Pionk, Alexander Georgiev
• 17:31 NYR Filip Chytil; Assists: Vladislav Namestnikov, Kevin Shattenkirk
• 19:39 NYI Cal Clutterbuck (empty net); Assists: Brock Nelson

Three months ago almost every NHL preview did not have the Rangers and Islanders as two teams that would be fighting for the lead in the Metropolitan Division, but as we approach their first matchup Thursday night, it appears that neither team read, watched or listened those predictions -- the Isles and Rangers are tied for second place with 20 points, trailing only the Columbus Blue Jackets by two points for the division lead. 

Both teams have taken very different paths to get to this point. 

Let's start with the Islanders, who appear to have moved on from losing former captain John Tavares. The stability that Lou Lamoriello and Barry Trotz have brought to the organization cannot be quantified. While this team is not the most talented, it does not get outworked, plays a much better defensive structure and is keeping the puck out of its own net. Thomas Greiss and Robin Lehner have provided stability between the pipes and the duo of Josh Bailey and Anders Lee have proven that they are not a product of their former captain.