Schedule / Matchup Preview

New York Islanders vs Montreal Canadiens · Matchup Preview Based on 26-27 form — rosters current

Season 26-27
Matchup Preview vs Canadiens · TUE · MAR 9 · 6:00 PM CT ← Back to schedule
Upcoming
TUE · MAR 9 · 6:00 PM CT
UBS Arena
MSGSN
New York Islanders
Islanders
1–1–0
VS
Montreal Canadiens
Canadiens
1–0–1
Upcoming
TUE · MAR 9 · 6:00 PM CT
MSGSN
New York Islanders
Home · Islanders
1–1–0
2 PTS
VS
Puck Drop In
The read
Mike Matheson is still looking for his first goal on Ilya Sorokin after 30 shots. But the Islanders have been on the wrong end of a 5-point night from Cole Caufield.
UBS Arena
Montreal Canadiens
Away · Canadiens
1–0–1
3 PTS
Islanders
GOALIES
Canadiens
Ilya Sorokin
Ilya Sorokin
Expected
.968 SV% · 1.02 GAA · 1W
.884 SV% L5 · Cooling
VS
Jakub Dobes
Jakub Dobes
Expected
.862 SV% · 4.04 GAA · 1W
.882 SV% L5 · Cooling
Islanders
PROJECTED TOP LINES
Canadiens
L1
Emil Heineman · Bo Horvat · Kyle Palmieri
L1
Cole Caufield · Nick Suzuki · Chris Kreider
L2
Victor Eklund · Calum Ritchie · Brayden Schenn
L2
Juraj Slafkovsky · Alex Newhook · Ivan Demidov
L3
Simon Holmstrom · Jean-Gabriel Pageau · Anthony Duclair
L3
Alexandre Texier · Phillip Danault · Kirby Dach
L4
Ondrej Palat · Casey Cizikas · Matias Maccelli
L4
Zack Bolduc · Jake Evans · Josh Anderson
D1
Adam Pelech · Matthew Schaefer
D1
Mike Matheson · Noah Dobson
D2
Alexander Romanov · Ryan Pulock
D2
Lane Hutson · Alexandre Carrier
D3
Logan Stanley · Tony DeAngelo
D3
Jayden Struble · Arber Xhekaj
PP1
Kyle Palmieri · Bo Horvat · Brayden Schenn · Matias Maccelli · Matthew Schaefer
PP1
Juraj Slafkovsky · Nick Suzuki · Ivan Demidov · Cole Caufield · Lane Hutson
PP2
Victor Eklund · Anthony Duclair · Emil Heineman · Calum Ritchie · Tony DeAngelo
PP2
Chris Kreider · Alex Newhook · Alexandre Texier · Zack Bolduc · Noah Dobson
PK1
Jean-Gabriel Pageau · Simon Holmstrom · Adam Pelech · Ryan Pulock
PK1
Phillip Danault · Josh Anderson · Mike Matheson · Alexandre Carrier
PK2
Bo Horvat · Kyle Palmieri · Logan Stanley · Alexander Romanov
PK2
Jake Evans · Alex Newhook · Lane Hutson · Noah Dobson
IslandersProjected lines
L1
Emil Heineman · Bo Horvat · Kyle Palmieri
L2
Victor Eklund · Calum Ritchie · Brayden Schenn
L3
Simon Holmstrom · Jean-Gabriel Pageau · Anthony Duclair
L4
Ondrej Palat · Casey Cizikas · Matias Maccelli
D1
Adam Pelech · Matthew Schaefer
D2
Alexander Romanov · Ryan Pulock
D3
Logan Stanley · Tony DeAngelo
PP1
Kyle Palmieri · Bo Horvat · Brayden Schenn · Matias Maccelli · Matthew Schaefer
PP2
Victor Eklund · Anthony Duclair · Emil Heineman · Calum Ritchie · Tony DeAngelo
PK1
Jean-Gabriel Pageau · Simon Holmstrom · Adam Pelech · Ryan Pulock
PK2
Bo Horvat · Kyle Palmieri · Logan Stanley · Alexander Romanov
CanadiensProjected lines
L1
Cole Caufield · Nick Suzuki · Chris Kreider
L2
Juraj Slafkovsky · Alex Newhook · Ivan Demidov
L3
Alexandre Texier · Phillip Danault · Kirby Dach
L4
Zack Bolduc · Jake Evans · Josh Anderson
D1
Mike Matheson · Noah Dobson
D2
Lane Hutson · Alexandre Carrier
D3
Jayden Struble · Arber Xhekaj
PP1
Juraj Slafkovsky · Nick Suzuki · Ivan Demidov · Cole Caufield · Lane Hutson
PP2
Chris Kreider · Alex Newhook · Alexandre Texier · Zack Bolduc · Noah Dobson
PK1
Phillip Danault · Josh Anderson · Mike Matheson · Alexandre Carrier
PK2
Jake Evans · Alex Newhook · Lane Hutson · Noah Dobson
Ethan Sears · as of Oct 3 Last Game (2026-10-03) · Oct 4 · 6:18 AM CT
Islanders
INJURY REPORT
Canadiens
Mathew Barzal
IR · Knee · Expected back Oct 10
Oliver Kapanen
DAY-TO-DAY · Lower body
Alexandre Carrier
DAY-TO-DAY · Undisclosed injury
Bryce Pickford
IR · Undisclosed injury · Expected back Oct 17
Lucas Condotta
IR · Undisclosed injury · Expected back Oct 10
Kaiden Guhle
IR · Groin (surgery) · Expected back Oct 23
IslandersInjury report
Mathew Barzal
IR · Knee · Expected back Oct 10
CanadiensInjury report
Oliver Kapanen
DAY-TO-DAY · Lower body
Alexandre Carrier
DAY-TO-DAY · Undisclosed injury
Bryce Pickford
IR · Undisclosed injury · Expected back Oct 17
Lucas Condotta
IR · Undisclosed injury · Expected back Oct 10
Kaiden Guhle
IR · Groin (surgery) · Expected back Oct 23
Ethan Sears · as of Oct 3 Last Game (2026-10-03) · Oct 4 · 6:18 AM CT
STORYLINE
The Islanders won their last game and are 1-1-0 in their first 2 games. The Canadiens lost their last game in overtime and are 1-0-1 in their first 2 games.

Matchup Intel

Mike Matheson is still looking for his first goal on Ilya Sorokin after 30 shots. But the Islanders have been on the wrong end of a 5-point night from Cole Caufield.

Vitek Vanecek is 1 win shy of 200 career wins.

The numbers behind it
Matchup
Mike Matheson has 30 shots on Ilya Sorokin without a goal.
(Montreal)
0/30 vs Ilya Sorokin
Player
Cole Caufield once put up 5 points in a game against New York. See the games →
(Montreal)
5 pts, one game vs NYI
Matchup
Nick Suzuki has 5 goals on Ilya Sorokin (32 shots).
(Montreal)
5 goals on Ilya Sorokin
Player
Juraj Slafkovský has 6 points in his last 4 games against New York. See the games →
(Montreal)
6 pts, last 4 vs NYI
Milestone
Vitek Vanecek is 1 win shy of 200 career wins.
199 career wins
Milestone
Chris Kreider is 3 goals shy of 700 career goals.
697 career goals