RITTICH TO START FOR ISLES
David Rittich is the expected starter for the Islanders on Friday with the team on the second half of a back-to-back set. Rittich is 3-2-0 in five games this season, with a 3.41 GAA and a .886 SV%.
PROJECTED LINEUP
Check back closer to game time for the Islanders official lineup. Scott Mayfield will miss his second-straight game as he flew back to Long Island for the birth of his first child. Adam Boqvist drew into the lineup for the first time since Oct. 30 on Thursday and defenseman Travis Mitchell was recalled from Bridgeport in a corresponding move.
Emil Heineman – Bo Horvat – Kyle Palmieri
Jonathan Drouin – Mathew Barzal – Simon Holmstrom
Anders Lee – JG Pageau – Anthony Duclair
Casey Cizikas – Cal Ritchie – Max Tsyplakov
Matthew Schaefer – Ryan Pulock
Adam Pelech – Tony DeAngelo
Alexander Romanov – Adam Boqvist
David Rittich
SCHAEFER STATS PILING UP
Schaefer recorded a goal and an assist on Thursday, his 13th and 14th points of the season, which vaulted him to the top of the NHL’s rookie scoring race, one point ahead of Montreal’s Ivan Demidov.
Schaefer’s goal was his sixth of the season, which tied Colorado’s Cale Makar for the NHL lead among defensemen. Schaefer now has four power-play goals in his first 17 games – becoming the second player in Isles history to accomplish the feat, along with Bryan Trottier, per team statistician Eric Hornick.
HOT STREAKS
Bo Horvat is riding a seven-game point streak with 11 points (6G, 5A) over that span. Horvat picked up the primary helper on Heineman’s first period goal on Thursday night and a secondary helper on Schaefer’s power-play goal.
Mathew Barzal five-game point streak with five points (2G, 3A) over that span. Barzal has goals in back-to-back games.