Tampa Bay @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 1, 2019 ) Tampa Bay 1, NY Islanders 0

The New York Islanders own their longest winning streak since the 1989-90 season and look to extend it to eight games when they host the injury-hampered Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday night at Nassau Coliseum. The Islanders triumphed twice in overtime and once in a shootout during their run before winning each of the last three contests by a pair of goals, including Sunday’s 5-3 victory over Philadelphia last time out.

“We’ve been competing for the last couple of weeks, we play for each other, it’s been fun,” New York center Derick Brassard told reporters after scoring for the third straight game Sunday. “Guys are stepping up, we have good goaltending, everything is clicking right now.” The Islanders have won four in a row at home and look to hold off the Lightning, who roared back from a two-goal deficit Wednesday for a 7-6 overtime victory at New Jersey despite being outshot 42-23 - the second straight game they have allowed 42 attempts on their net. “We’re leaking oil a little bit in the third period, there’s no question,” Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper told reporters after Wednesday’s win. “Good teams find a way, and it was really good for us to pull that one out.” The Lightning could get physical defenseman Eric Cernak back for Friday’s game after he missed the New Jersey affair with a lower-body injury while former Norris Trophy winner Victor Hedman may miss his second straight with the same ailment, and forward Patrick Maroon (upper body) is questionable.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG Plus (New York), FS Sun (Tampa Bay)

ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (8-3-0): New York also has some health concerns after placing forwards Tom Kuhnhackl and Matt Martin on the injured list with lower-body injuries and four players missed practice Thursday. Rookie defenseman Noah Dobson, along with forwards Leo Komarov and Anthony Beauvillier, sat out because of illness while right wing Jordan Eberle (lower body) was also held out and left wing Otto Koivula recalled. Brock Nelson leads the team with 10 points along with 36 shots and Mathew Barzal has a club-best five goals - all in the last six games - and a plus-7 rating.

ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (6-4-2): Tampa Bay recorded seven goals Wednesday without getting a point from captain Steven Stamkos or reigning Hart Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov, who skated with Alexander Volkov in his NHL debut as the trio all finished minus-2. Left wing Ondrej Palat scored twice against New Jersey and has five goals after finishing with eight in 64 games last season, while joining fellow forwards Tyler Johnson and Brayden Point with three points in the win. Andrei Vasilevskiy (5-3-0, 3.00 goals-against average, .910 save percentage) is expected back between the pipes Friday.

OVERTIME

1. Stamkos, the franchise's all-time scoring leader, is two goals away from 400.

2. Islanders F Josh Bailey is tied for second on the team with nine points, and is two assists shy of 300 for his career.

3. Tampa Bay D Mikhail Sergachev leads the team with eight assists and a plus-8 rating.

PREDICTION: Islanders 3, Lightning 2