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. 

Tom Kuhnhackl led the Islanders with two goals in their 5-2 win over the Canucks at home on Tuesday night. >> Box score

First period:

• 2:48 VAN Brendan Leipsic; Assists: Bo Horvat, Michael Del Zotto
• 5:11 NYI Tom Kuhnhackl; Assists: Leo Komarow, Valtteri Filppula
• 5:56 NYI Josh Bailey; Assists: Mathew Barzal
• 14:50 NYI Jordan Eberle; Assists: Brock Nelson, Andrew Ladd

We have one question Tom Kuhnhackl: How did you just score on this play?

While fighting for a puck against the boards against the Canucks, Kuhnhackl came away with it, but slipped off his skates. But that didn't stop him from trying to throw the puck at net.

CLICK BELOW TO SEE THE PLAY

NEW YORK -- The New York Islanders and Vancouver Canucks were two of the most surprising stories of the NHL through the first month of the season. But these next few weeks are likely to reveal more about the Islanders and Canucks than the first few weeks.

The Islanders and Canucks will each be looking to snap losing streaks Tuesday night, when New York hosts Vancouver at Barclays Center.

The Islanders suffered their third straight loss Saturday night, when they fell to the host Florida Panthers, 4-2. The visiting Canucks lost their second consecutive game Monday, when they dropped a 2-1 decision to the New York Rangers.

Aleksander Barkov scored the go-ahead goal in the third period and the Panthers went on to defeat the Islanders on Saturday, 4-2. >> Box score

First period:

• 6:20 FL Denis Malgin; Assists: Jared McCann, Nick Bjugstad
• 7:27 NYI Mathew Barzal; Assists: Anders Lee

The Florida Panthers were supposed to be serious playoff contenders this season, and the New York Islanders, well, weren't.

But through roughly the first-eighth of this season, the opposite seemed true.

The Islanders, who visit the Panthers on Saturday night at the BB&T Center, entered the weekend atop the Metropolitan Division with 18 points and an 8-5-2 record.

Josh Bailey scored two goals and the Islanders had 37 shots, but Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy kept his team in it as the Lightning came away with the 4-2 win Thursday night. >> Box score

First period:

• 3:40 NYI Josh Bailey; Assists: Brock Nelson

Second period:

• 5:58 TBL Mathieu Joseph; Assists: Alex Killorn, Anton Stralman
• 11:12 TBL J.T. Miller; Assists: Mikhail Sergachev, Steven Stamkos

Third period:

• 8:43 NYI Josh Bailey; Assists: Adam Pelech, Mathew Barzal
• 18:34 TBL Tyler Johnson; Assists: Nikita Kucherov, Yanni Gourde
• 19:50 TBL Steven Stamkos (Empty Net); Assists: J.T. Miller, Ryan McDonagh

The Tampa Bay Lightning look to continue their winning ways against the resurgent New York Islanders when the teams meet Thursday at Amalie Arena.

The Lightning enter with a three-game winning streak and have won four of the past five games to sit atop the Atlantic Division standings.

The Islanders saw their five-game winning streak end on Monday at the hands of the Montreal Canadiens but remain at the top of the Metropolitan Division standings. >> Read more

The Islanders' Feb. 28 game against the Toronto Maple Leafs will be played at Nassau Coliseum rather than Barclays Center -- and John Tavares, for one, is looking forward to it.

The former Isles captain knows he'll hear plenty of boos after leaving his longtime team to sign with the Leafs this past summer. But Tavares told The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun that he's nevertheless excited to return to where he developed into an NHL star.

"Yeah I mean, it's really out of my control,'' Tavares said of how Islanders fans will receive him. "However they feel is how they feel. All I hope is that they saw me give all I had for nine years and that I was completely invested in being an Islander. I loved it there. I made a decision that I thought was best for myself and my career. That place still means a lot to me. A lot of great people who had a big impact in my life and a big reason I am who I am today. But obviously they're very proud and protective of their hockey team and what it means to them. They're not very nice to the visitor, at least when I was still part of it, and I'm sure it'll be similar for myself. But it'll be fun to play in.'' 

The Islanders blew a two-goal first-period lead and lost to the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 in a shootout on Monday at Barclays Center. >> Box score

First period:

• 4:04 NYI Casey Cizikas; Assists: Adam Pelech, Ross Johnston
• 5:59 MON Jonathan Drouin; Assists: Max Domi, Noah Juulsen
• 7:44 NYI Valtteri Filppula; Assist: Leo Komarov
• 14:58 NYI Casey Cizikas; Assist: Cal Clutterbuck

The New York Islanders have established themselves as one of the surprise stories of the NHL by dominating within their division. Now the Islanders will look to see if they can carry that over to non-Metropolitan Division foes.

The Islanders will look to extend the Eastern Conference's longest winning streak on Monday night, when they host the Montreal Canadiens at Barclays Center.

Jordan Eberle, Brock Nelson, and Scott Mayfield each scored goals and Thomas Greiss saved 35 shots to help the Islanders shut out the Devils on Saturday night at Barclays Center. >> Box Score

NEW YORK -- Everyone knew things would be different for the New York Islanders after the departure of generational talent John Tavares. But few people expected the difference to manifest itself in a potentially record-setting start for the Islanders, who will look to remain perfect in the Metropolitan Division when they host the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night at Barclays Center.

The Islanders extended their winning streak to four games Thursday night when they moved into a tie for first place in the Metropolitan with a 3-2 shootout win over the other first-place occupant, the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Devils suffered their second straight loss Thursday night, falling to the host Detroit Red Wings 4-3.

The winning streak for the Islanders (7-4-1) has come entirely against Metropolitan opponents. New York is 5-0-0 in the Metropolitan this season, the franchise's best start against divisional rivals since it opened the 1982-83 season 6-0-0 (wins-losses-ties) in the Patrick Division. >> Read more

Copyright 2018 by the Associated Press

The Islanders continued to stay hot with a shootout victory, 4-3, over the Penguins on Thursday night at Barclays Center. >> Box score

First period:

• 6:20 PIT Dominik Simon (Power Play); Assists: Jake Guentzel, Olli Maatta

NEW YORK -- The New York Islanders ended the quirkiest early-season schedule in the NHL by winning three straight road games in a span of four days. Now the task for the Islanders is to produce similar success in their first extended homestand of the 2018-19 campaign.

The Islanders will look to remain hot Thursday night, when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins in an early-season battle for first place in the Metropolitan Division at Barclays Center.

It will be the second straight game between the rivals. The Islanders earned a convincing win Tuesday night, when Jordan Eberle scored twice in a 6-3 win over the Penguins. >> Read more

Prior to Tuesday's game between the Islanders and Penguins, Pittsburgh honored the shooting victims who were killed at the Tree of Life synagogue on Saturday with a moment of silence. Two officers wounded in response to the shooting also participated in an honorary puck drop.

As for the game, the Islanders won their third after recovering from blowing a 2-0 lead in the first period. The scored three goals in the second -- two from Jordan Eberle -- en route to a 6-3 win over the Penguins. The victory extends the Islanders' winning streak to three games and point streak to four. 

Islanders goalie Robin Lehner made 23 of 25 saves but was replaced by Thomas Greiss at the start of the third period due to a strain, per head coach Barry Trotz. >> Box score

PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- It's pretty straightforward for the New York Islanders (5-4-1). They can extend their winning streak to three games, their point streak to four games and stay above .500 with a win Tuesday against Pittsburgh at PPG Paints Arena.

Things are more complex for the Penguins (6-1-2). Under normal circumstances, they would simply be returning home triumphant after going 4-0 on a road trip through Canada that they claim helped them bond and set a tone for perhaps the rest of the season.

But these aren't normal circumstance. The Penguins will be juggling their emotions playing at home for the first time since a shooting Saturday at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Squirrel Hill area of the city left 11 people dead.  >> Read more

The Islanders entered the 2018-19 season with a new regime led by team president Lou Lamoriello and Stanley Cup-winning head coach Barry Trotz.

But Josh Ho-Sang, the Isles' first-round pick (No. 28 overall) in the 2014 NHL Draft, says he's been offered anything but a fresh start. In fact, the 22-year-old believes he wasn't given a fair shot at making the NHL squad during training camp, instead being sent down to the AHL for the second straight season.

"I felt like they had their minds made up on what was going to happen and what the team was going to look like," Ho-Sang told the New York Post on Monday. "It's OK. They had the whole summer to plan that. I don't know if you watched any of the games, but I didn't play a lot. It's OK. It is what it is."

The Islanders beat the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1 on Sunday at PNC Arena for their second straight victory. >> Box score

First period:

• 3:39 NYI Anders Lee (power play); Assists: Josh Bailey, Nick Leddy

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Two teams feeling good after their most recent results meet Sunday when the New York Islanders face the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena.

The teams put together different types of inspirational victories in advance of this game, but the confidence might be brewing for both clubs.

For the Islanders, it was Saturday afternoon's 6-1 whipping of the Philadelphia Flyers for a strong start on a three-game road swing.

"They are games that mean a lot," said Islanders center Anthony Beauvillier, who notched his first goal of the season Saturday. "All of us want to get rolling." >> Read more

Brock Nelson scored twice and Anders Lee tallied four points -- three assists and a power-play goal -- as the Islanders defeated the Philadelphia Flyers in a 6-1 rout. >> Box score

Two Metropolitan Division rivals looking for answers face each other in a Saturday matinee in Philadelphia.

The New York Islanders, 0-4-1 in their last five games, have to find a way to score some goals -- and will go against a Flyers team that has to find a way to stop them.

The Islanders (3-4-1 overall and in the middle of playing six of seven games on the road) have scored eight goals during the five-game stretch and blew a 2-0 lead before losing 3-2 in overtime to the Florida Panthers in Brooklyn Wednesday night.

Brock Nelson and Jordan Eberle scored the first two goals of the game, but the Panthers rallied in the final period and won in overtime, 3-2.  >> Box score

NEW YORK -- The Florida Panthers are looking forward to playing Wednesday night because it will provide them an opportunity to forget about what happened Tuesday.

The New York Islanders are looking forward to Wednesday night so they can confirm they haven't forgotten how to play hockey.

The Panthers will complete a back-to-back set Wednesday night, when they visit the Islanders in New York's first home game in more than two weeks at Barclays Center.

Former Islanders owner Charles Wang passed away on Sunday at the age of 74, his attorney said in a statement. 

Wang was the majority owner of the Islanders from 2000 to 2016, when he became a minority co-owner as Jon Ledecky and Scott Malkin became the primary owners. 

"We are heartbroken by the news of Charles Wang's passing. New York Islanders's co-owners Dewey Shay, Scott Malkin and I were privileged to be selected by Charles to be his partners in the team," Ledecky said in a statement. "Charles loved the Islanders unconditionally. The arena at Belmont Park will be just one of his many legacies left to the team and to Long Island. His unique personality, his wonderful sense of humor and his extraordinary wisdom will be greatly missed."

The Islanders mustered just one goal in a 3-1 loss to the Sharks on Saturday night in San Jose.  >> Box score

First period:

• 7:49 SJ Timo Meier; Assists: Logan Couture, Tomas Hertl
• 19:27 NYI Brock Nelson; Assists: Josh Bailey, Anders Lee

Second period:

After being blanked by Robin Lehner earlier this month, the San Jose Sharks may not get the chance to earn a win over the New York Islanders? new starting goalie this season.

Coming off their best game of the season, the Sharks wrap up a two-game homestand against the Islanders on Saturday night.

On Oct. 8 -- and in his New York debut -- Lehner posted his ninth career shutout as the Isles won 4-0. The Swedish veteran made 16 of his 35 saves in the final 20 minutes.

The Islanders exploded with four goals in the third period to power past the Kings in Los Angeles, 7-2.  >> Box score

First period:

• 4:55 NYI Casey Cizikas; Assists: Scott Mayfield
• 14:56 LAK Tyler Toffoli; Assists: Drew Doughty, Ilya Kovalchuk

Second period:

• 3:43 NYI Josh Bailey (PPG); Assists: Jordan Eberle, Mathew Barzal
• 12:07 NYI Valtteri Filppula; Assists: Leo Komarov, Andrew Ladd

Third Period:

• 2:54 LAK Jeff Carter (PPG); Assists: Alex Iafallo, Drew Doughty
• 3:40 NYI Valtteri Filppula (SHG); Assists: Andrew Ladd
• 4:40 NYI Matt Martin; Assists: Casey Cizikas, Cal Clutterbuck
• 9:20 NYI Leo Komarov; Assists: Scott Mayfield, Mathew Barzal

Los Angeles Kings goalkeeper Jonathan Quick could return from a lower-body injury when the New York Islanders visit Staples Center on Thursday night.

Quick, a three-time NHL All Star and 2012 Conn Smythe Trophy winner, sustained the injury during practice on Oct. 7, two days after a 3-2 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks in the season opener.

Jack Campbell has played the past five games and went 2-3-0 with a 2.69 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage.

The Anaheim Ducks are hoping to have center Ryan Getzlaf back in the lineup when they play the New York Islanders at Honda Center on Wednesday.

Getzlaf has missed the past four games with a groin injury, but the team captain skated three days in a row before practicing with the top line on Tuesday.

"(Monday) was a day I pushed it pretty hard from a skating standpoint, and it reacted well," Getzlaf told reporters after practice Tuesday. "I skated with the guys (Tuesday), which was a more of an up-tempo, little more of that push and pull, those kinds of things, reactionary stuff, and so we'll see how it reacts (Wednesday)." >> Read More

Islanders prospect and UConn freshman Ruslan Iskhakov was carted off the ice after getting knocked out by a scary hit during the Huskies' game against Quinnipiac Tuesday night in Connecticut.

Iskhakov, who was drafted by the Islanders in the second round of the 2018 NHL Draft, carried the puck into the offensive zone in the third period when Quinnipiac's Brogan Rafferty left his feet to deliver a crushing blow to the 18-year-old's head.

The 5-foot-7 Russian forward quickly collapsed to the ice, where he remained motionless. After several minutes, Iskhakov was able to move his arms and legs and gave the crowd a thumbs-up as he was taken off on a stretcher en route to a local hospital.

Brock Nelson scored his 100th career goal on Saturday night in the Islanders' 5-2 loss to the Predators.

Nelson's goal came in the third quarter to put his team on the board after falling behind 3-0. The goal was Brock's first of the season after he was forced to wait the entire offseason to reach the 1,000-goal milestone.

The Islanders fell into an early 3-0 hole and couldn't recover in a 5-2 loss to the Predators on Saturday night in Nashville. << Box score 

First period

• 15:25 NV Calle Jarnkrok; Assists: Nick Bonino, Ryan Hartman
• 16:37 NV Filip Forsberg; Assists: Ryan Johansen, Viktor Arvidsson
• 19:50 NV Viktor Arvidsson; Assists: Ryan Johansen, Dan Hamhuis

It was just the fourth game in an 82-game regular season, but the Nashville Predators had a little extra incentive for Thursday night's visit from the Winnipeg Jets.

In their first meeting since Winnipeg knocked them out of the Western Conference semifinals last spring with a 5-1 Game 7 decision, Nashville pieced together its best game of the young season, getting Pekka Rinne's 52nd career shutout in a 3-0 decision.

"It's Winnipeg, you know, we just lost against them in the playoffs and you could sense that," Rinne said. "There was a lot of emotion on the ice. I thought the first period was the fastest hockey so far this year." >> Read more

The Islanders placed F Jan Kovar on unconditional waivers on Wednesday, the team announced.

The former KHL star, who signed a reported one-year, $2 million deal with the Isles over the summer, failed to make the final cut out of training camp and never showed up to AHL Bridgeport.

NEW YORK (AP) Robin Lehner stopped 35 shots for his ninth career shutout in his New York debut, leading the Islanders to a 4-0 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Monday.

Anders Lee, Scott Mayfield, Matt Martin and Casey Cizikas scored to help New York get new coach Barry Trotz his first win at home. The Islanders, who opened the season with an overtime win at Carolina last Thursday, then lost their home opener to Nashville two nights later.

Lehner, who signed with the Islanders in July, played for the first time since last March 29 for Buffalo. He left that game against Detroit because of a panic attack and was subsequently treated for alcohol and drug addiction and also diagnosed with bipolar disorder, ADHD and PTSD...

NEW YORK -- The season is just two games old, but it has already been a transitional one for the New York Islanders and their new head coach, Barry Trotz.

The adaptation process will continue Monday afternoon, when Robin Lehner makes his first start for the Islanders in a Columbus Day matinee against the San Jose Sharks at Barclays Center.

It will be the third game of the season for both teams. The Islanders dropped their home opener Saturday, when they fell to the Nashville Predators, 4-3.

The Isles fought, but couldn't comeback against the Predators in a 4-3 loss in their home opener at Barclays Center on Saturday night. << Box score 

First period

• 3:42 NSH Viktor Arvidsson; Assists: Filip Forsberg, P.K. Subban
• 12:01 NYI Mathew Barzal; Assists: Josh Bailey
• 16:56 NSH Mattias Ekholm; Assists: P.K. Subban, Colton Sissons

NEW YORK -- The season opener Thursday night marked the official start of a new era for the New York Islanders. But Saturday night will truly reinforce the uncertainty upon which the Islanders have embarked.

The overhauled Islanders will begin their vagabond home existence Saturday night, when New York hosts the Nashville Predators at Barclays Center.

Both teams earned wins in their openers Thursday night, when the visiting Islanders edged the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1 in overtime, while the Predators beat the host New York Rangers 3-2. >> Read more

The Islanders decided to send F Jan Kovar to AHL Bridgeport when making their final roster cuts. Well, Kovar hasn't showed up to the Sound Tigers. 

According to The Athletic's Arthur Staple, Kovar is taking some time to figure out what he wants to do next. 

Kovar played the past five seasons in the KHL, and joined the Islanders on a reported one-year, $2 million deal. However, he didn't impressed the Islanders enough in camp to keep him for the start of the season. 

Josh Bailey scored the game-winning overtime goal against the Hurricanes to start the Islanders' season on the right foot. << Box score 

First period

• No Goals

Second period

The Carolina Hurricanes have undergone considerable change in the offseason, with the makeover creating heightened expectations going into the season.

That description perhaps relates to perhaps an even larger degree for the New York Islanders.

After all, fresh off coaching the Washington Capitals to a Stanley Cup championship, Barry Trotz is on board directing the Islanders.

The Islanders announced Thursday that Anders Lee has been named team captain, becoming the 15th captain in franchise history.

Lee replaces John Tavares, who left for the Maple Leafs as a free agent during the offseason.

"It's extremely humbling, quite an honor to be a captain of this organization," Lee said. "It's definitely one of the most special things that's happened in my hockey career."

The Islanders have sent D Devon Toews and C Jan Kovar to AHL Bridgeport on Tuesday, per Newsday's Andrew Gross.

President and GM Lou Lamoriello has to submit his 23-man roster by the end of the day, and Toews and Kovar were the moves necessary to reach that number. The Islanders are also waiting to see if F Tom Kuhnhackl cleared waivers, so they could send him to Bridgeport as well. 

"What you do in situations like this is give yourself flexibility, that's what we did," Lamoriello said. "If a player gets claimed, that's part of the game."

Islanders D Cal Clutterbuck has a new nickname, but he isn't too fond of it.

"Shuttlebuck" came about from an interview with Flyers F Robert Hagg, who expressed his hatred for Clutterbuck during an interview after the Isles preseason opener at the Coliseum. 

"It doesn't matter if you play against Martin or Shuttlebuck, or whatever it is -- I hate that guy," Hagg told The Post's Brett Cygalis. "There's that kind of player on every team."

The Islanders already missed out on their coveted free agent in C John Tavares this offseason. But that is now officially in the past, and focus turns toward another Isles key cog that will see his contract expire at the end of the year as well. 

C Anders Lee is in the final year of his four-year, $15 million deal, after which he becomes an unrestricted free agent. It is too early to tell if Lee will take Tavares' route and hear out potential suitors next offseason, but that isn't even on his mind. 

According to Newsday's Andrew Gross, Lee isn't worried about his contract situation, saying "our cases are different."

Josh Ho-Sang's Islanders career hasn't exactly gone to plan.

The Islanders made Ho-Sang the No. 28 overall pick in the 2014 Draft and last season was supposed to be his breakout campaign but he couldn't break out of Bridgeport, spending most of his season in the AHL. He played just 22 games with the Islanders, scoring four goals and adding six assists.

Islanders' Mathew Barzal turned some heads last season and is being recognized as one of the best players in the league.

According to NHL Network, Barzal is the 49th best player in the NHL. The second-year man is expected to pick up much of the offensive burden left by departing John Tavares.

Last season, Barzal led the team with 85 points (22 goals, 63 assists).

The Islanders' return to the Coliseum while their new arena at Belmont Park is built continues to go smoothly thus far.

The Nassau County Industrial Development Agency approved tax breaks for the Isles' renovation plans at the Nassau Coliseum, according to Newsday's Victor Ocasio. The Islanders were looking to get a $400 million to $450 million tax break to purchase new equipment, furniture and fixtures for their renovation project.

The upgrades, which will be worth $9.95 million, would deem the arena worthy to play in for the three years needed before the Belmont Park arena is finished. A $6 million state grant will pay for most of the project, while the Islanders will pick up the rest of the tab at around $3.9 million.