After surrendering three goals in the closing minutes to lose at Columbus on Sunday, the New York Islanders are eyeing a turnaround Tuesday as they visit the slumping Chicago Blackhawks to close a two-game road trip.
Bo Horvat, who had one of New York’s goals, called the 4-2 defeat in Columbus “two points that we want to have back, for sure.”
The Islanders edged two Metropolitan Division rivals, the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers, on either side of the Christmas break and had collected points in three straight games before Sunday.
Defenseman Ryan Pulock earned an assist to give him 16 this season, three behind center Mathew Barzal for the team lead. The NHL Department of Player Safety fined Barzal $5,000 Monday after a Sunday incident in which he slashed the Blue Jackets’ Mason Marchment in apparent retaliation for tripping Islanders rookie and top draft pick Matthew Schaefer.
Barzal was called for slashing and issued a game misconduct for his two-handed chop following the sequence early in the second period.
The Islanders contended that Marchment made knee-to-knee contact with Schaefer and leant their support to Barzal.
“On and off the ice he’s a great guy and a great leader, too,” Schaefer said. “Obviously, thanks for doing that right there. That just shows, an older guy helping me out there. Just like everyone else.”
Chicago fell to 1-7-0 in its past eight games with a 7-3 loss to the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday night. The slump includes three consecutive multi-goal defeats at home, all to Eastern Conference foes.
Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill remained confident in the locker room amid a tough season that has seen the club collect only 34 points. That’s tied for the second-fewest in the NHL entering the week, yet still only five out of the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference playoff chase.
“We’re going through a hard stretch right now, but I really like this group and I like who they are as people, I like who they are as competitors, I like who they are as hockey players and I like the potential in the group,” Blashill said. “You have to grind and it doesn’t always go the way you want.
“We can’t feel sorry for ourselves. We have to continue to work together, but I am pumped to go work with this group … and try to get better for the next game.”
Count Chicago captain Nick Foligno among the amped, too. Foligno was activated from injured reserve Sunday and scored a second-period goal in his first action since sustaining a left hand injury on Nov. 15.
“I was excited to get back with the group,” Foligno said. “You hate being away with some of the injuries we’ve had.”
Tyler Bertuzzi scored in the final second against the Penguins for his 19th goal this season, matching the injured Connor Bedard (upper body) for the club lead.
Blackhawks forward Ilya Mikheyev, who has missed the past two games due to the birth of his son, is expected to return to the lineup Tuesday.
Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (lower body) is set to be re-evaluated in Chicago and could return from injured reserve.
