In a promising display, the Islanders’ penalty kill excelled against the Vegas Golden Knights, successfully thwarting all four power-play opportunities presented during their recent matchup. This included a significant moment in overtime where the Isles managed to repel a six-on-four disadvantage. “We killed that six-on-four, and then the three-on-four in overtime … was pretty big as well,” noted forward Roy. With this performance, the Islanders’ penalty killing unit has achieved a perfect 13-for-13 record throughout December, standing alongside the Dallas Stars as the only teams to remain unscathed by power-play goals this month. Their record against the Golden Knights saw them maintain a flawless 5-for-5 penalty kill in their initial encounter.
Looking forward, the Islanders are set to face the Anaheim Ducks for the first of two matchups this season. Historically, the Islanders have a favorable record against the Ducks, boasting 23 wins, 16 losses, 4 overtime losses, and 3 ties all-time, with a home record of 12 wins, 7 losses, 1 overtime loss, and 2 ties. The two teams will meet once again on March 4 in Anaheim, concluding the season series.
On the other hand, the Ducks are arriving with momentum, fresh off a thrilling 4-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins that concluded in a shootout. The Ducks, who were trailing until the very end, owe their latest win to Beckett Sennecke, who managed to tie the game with only 0.1 seconds left in regulation. This win marks the Ducks’ third consecutive victory, with two of these games decided by shootouts.
Anaheim is enjoying a strong start to the season, currently holding a 19-10-1 record—its most successful start in recent years and the highest win tally through 30 games since the 2014-15 season. The Ducks are perched at the top of the Pacific Division, their most recent loss to an Eastern Conference team occurring on November 20 against the Ottawa Senators.
The offensive prowess of the Ducks is highlighted by the performance of several key players. Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, and Troy Terry each boast over 30 points so far this season, with Carlsson leading the pack with 38 points (16 goals and 22 assists). His current standing ties him with stars Jack Eichel and Mark Scheifele for the eighth most points in the NHL this season.
Rookie Beckett Sennecke has been particularly noteworthy as well, recording both a goal and an assist in each of the last three games, marking the second-longest multi-point streak by a rookie in Ducks history. With 26 total points this season (10 goals, 16 assists), Sennecke leads all rookies in goals scored.
Several other Ducks players are on point streaks heading into the game: Gauthier has four points in his last three games, while Troy Terry and Jackson LaCombe have also contributed with multiple-point games recently. Terry stands out as the team’s top playmaker with 23 assists, while LaCombe leads Ducks defensemen with 17 points.
On the injury front, right winger Frank Vatrano is currently day-to-day after playing in the shootout win over the Penguins. Meanwhile, goaltender Lukas Dostal is sidelined due to an upper-body injury but is accompanying the team on this five-game road trip. Dostal last played on November 22, contributing to a memorable overtime victory with 29 saves.
Despite some struggles, the Ducks’ penalty kill has shown signs of improvement, currently ranking 12th in December with an 83.3% success rate after successfully killing off 15 of their last 18 penalties. However, their power play ranks lower at 20th in the league (18.6%) and has struggled further this month, finding the back of the net only twice in 17 opportunities.
