Anaheim @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 17, 2018 ) NY Islanders 1, Anaheim 4

The New York Islanders have surged to the top of the Metropolitan Division with four straight victories and a 14-3-2 mark in their last 19 games, and will try to keep the momentum going against the visiting Anaheim Ducks on Sunday. New York is coming off an emotional 2-0 victory at Washington on Friday in coach Barry Trotz's first game at Capital One Arena since leading Washington to its first Stanley Cup championship in June.

"The message has been, 'Let's just keep climbing.' We're playing good hockey,'' the Islanders' Cal Clutterbuck told reporters after scoring Friday. "I think we're playing well defensively, obviously, and we've got some pretty good patience. We're playing the right way right now, and we want to keep getting better." New York is enjoying the fruits of a renewed commitment on defense, allowing three goals during their winning streak and permitting an NHL-low 2.47 goals per game after yielding a league-most 3.57 last season. The Ducks have responded to a franchise-record 12-game losing streak with two straight victories, including 3-2 at New Jersey on Saturday afternoon behind rookie Troy Terry's first career goal and assist. Anaheim has won three straight meetings, including 4-1 on Oct. 17 behind a pair of goals from Ryan Kesler - half his total for the season - and 34 saves by John Gibson, who is 2-0-1 with a 1.91 goals-against average and .944 save percentage against New York.

TV: 3 p.m. ET, Prime (Anaheim), MSG Plus (New York), Sportsnet1, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Ontario, Sportsnet Pacific

ABOUT THE DUCKS (21-19-9): Terry's linemates also got into the act Saturday as Daniel Sprong had a goal and an assist and Derek Grant scored in the second game of his second stint with Anaheim. Rickard Rakell had his three-game scoring streak snapped Saturday and his eight goals in 36 games this season pale in comparison to the average of 29 he recorded over the last three years. Gibson (.921 save percentage) leads the NHL with 1,225 saves as the Ducks have a minus-6.7 shot differential this season - second-worst in the league to Ottawa.

ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (28-15-4): Mathew Barzal (team-high 44 points), the 2018 Calder Trophy winner and the club's lone All-Star representative, has 17 points in his last 14 games - including nine of his 13 goals this season. Josh Bailey (25 points) scored Friday and has three of his 11 goals and two assists in the last six contests. Defenseman Nick Leddy has half his 16 points this season - all assists - in the last 11 games and has a plus-1 rating after finishing minus-42 last year.

OVERTIME

1. Anaheim is 8-4-1 versus the Metropolitan - their best record against any division.

2. New York hasn't allowed a power-play goal in its last five games (14-for-14) while the Ducks are 2-for-18 on the power play in their past seven contests with one coming Saturday.

3. Anaheim RW Ondrej Kase (11 goals, 20 points in 30 games) missed Saturday's contest (upper body).

PREDICTION: Islanders 3, Ducks 2