Here are some notes as the New York Islanders (16-22-7) are on the road getting ready to take on the Colorado Avalanche (27-12-4) in NHL acton on Friday.
LAST GAME
1/7/13: NYI 5 at TOR 3
Calvin de Haan’s first NHL goal held up as the game-winner, as the Islanders defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3 Tuesday night at Air Canada Centre. John Tavares recorded three assists in the Islanders’ fifth straight road win.
TONIGHT’S MATCHUP
The Islanders play the second game of a six-game road trip tonight against the Colorado Avalanche. The Islanders are 7-0-3 in their last 10 games against Colorado, dating back to 2001.
TEAM NOTES:
NHL Scoring Race: John Tavares is tied for second in the NHL scoring race with 54 points (20g/34a). Kyle Okposo is tied for 12th in the league with 43 points (17g/26a).
Point Streaks: Thomas Vanek is on a career-high, 10-game point streak (5g/10a). John Tavares has points in his last seven games (7g/9a) and the team’s last six (7g/8a) (he missed one game due to injury).
Olympians: Four Islanders have been named to their National teams for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games: John Tavares (Canada), Michael Grabner (Austria), Thomas Vanek (Austria) and Lubomir Visnovsky (Slovakia).
Road Streak: The Islanders have won five straight games away from Nassau Coliseum.
Tavares vs. Duchene: The first and third overall picks in 2009 go head-to-head for the first time in over two years. The pre-draft rivals could play together in Sochi, as both were named to the Canadian Olympic team.
The Islanders and Avalanche game is set to air on the MSG Plus Network, with face-off scheduled for 9:00 p.m.