Tonight at 10:30 p.m. ET, the New York Islanders (8-18-5, 21 points) and San Jose Sharks (19-6-5) faceoff live from the SAP Center in San Jose for the first of two meetings this season. The game can be live steamed here. New York fans can hear all of the action on WRHU 88.7 while San Jose fans can do the same on KFOX 102.1.
New York is winless in its last 10 games and has lost 10 road games in a row while San Jose enters play on a three-game skid as the team has lost three-straight games all on the road and all in regulation.
The Sharks fell 3-1 to the Minnesota Wild on Sunday in the team's third loss in a row as it went 0-for-4 on the power play.
"The power play was awful," coach Todd McLellan said via NHL.com. "I don't know if, in six years that I've been as disappointed with the power play as I am right now, and it's not even about me. I'm sure they're disappointed their power play. They are an elite group that has come out and been a threat for a long time. I'd like to see two or three guys take charge of it and let's get going, because right now they go out and it's killing the momentum that we gain."
The Islanders lost 5-2 to the Anaheim Ducks on Monday and have the task of taking on the Sharks the very next night while looking to avoid dropping an 11th straight game.
"When we make our mistakes, they're costing us," captain John Tavares said per NHL.com. "We can't seem to figure out some of our breakdowns. Even times when you hope that things can kind of go your way, they're just not. We did some good things, but like I said in the last few weeks, good things aren't what we want. We want wins, points and to move up in the standings. That's what matters. It's disappointing once again."
Tavares leads the Islanders with 34 points off of 12 goals and 22 assists while Kyle Okposo has eight tallies and 18 helpers for 26 points and Frans Nielsen has hit the back of the net 10 times and added 14 assists for 24 points.
The Sharks, meanwhile, have been paced by Joe Thornton, who has 32 points off of five goals and 27 assists while Logan Couture has lit the lamp 10 times and added 19 helpers for 29 points and Patrick Marleau has found the twine 13 times and added 15 assists for 28 points.
Evgeni Nabokov (groin) has been sidelined, making Kevin Poulin the probable starter for New York. Poulin is 3-11-0 with a 3.15 goals-against average and a .888 save percentage while Antti Niemi is likely to start for San Jose and is 16-5-5 with a 2.30 GAA and a .914 save percentage.
The Islanders will try to avoid dropping an 11th straight contest while the Sharks hope to avoid a four-game skid when the puck drops at the SAP Center in San Jose tonight.
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