The New York Islanders will host the Ottawa Senators in a crucial game at UBS Arena on April 11, as both teams compete for playoff positions in the Eastern Conference. The Islanders, currently with 91 points, trail the Senators by three points for the second Wild Card spot and are one point behind the Philadelphia Flyers for an Eastern Conference playoff berth.
This matchup holds significant importance as it could influence both teams’ chances of reaching the postseason. The Islanders recently ended a four-game losing streak with a 5-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs, marking Pete DeBoer’s first win as head coach. Cal Ritchie contributed a goal and an assist, while Ilya Sorokin made 13 saves on 16 shots.
Several lineup changes are expected for Saturday’s game. Max Shabanov will be sidelined due to an upper-body injury after playing two consecutive games and contributing a goal and an assist. Kyle MacLean is set to rejoin the lineup alongside Casey Cizikas and Marc Gatcomb; MacLean last played against Philadelphia on April 3. Despite missing Friday’s practice for maintenance reasons, Matthew Schaefer, Shabanov, and Sorokin are all anticipated to play.
Sorokin is projected to start in net against Ottawa; he has posted a record of 1-1-0 with a goals-against average of 3.50 against them this season and leads the league with seven shutouts overall. On offense, rookie defenseman Schaefer tied Brian Leetch’s NHL record for most goals by a rookie defenseman in one season (23) during Thursday’s win over Toronto.
The Senators arrive riding a three-game winning streak after defeating Florida Panthers 5-1 on Thursday night. Tim Stutzle leads Ottawa with 82 points this season while Brady Tkachuk has scored seven points over his last three games. The Senators’ power-play ranks eighth in the league at 23.5% but their penalty kill stands at twenty-ninth overall (75%), although it has improved significantly since early April.
Looking ahead, this contest marks the final regular-season meeting between these teams; each has won once so far this year with both previous games decided by just one goal.
