Game Preview: Islanders vs Hurricanes

ISLES NOTES

– Defenseman Robert Bortuzzo was activated off LTIR on Monday afternoon. Bortuzzo has missed 30 straight games since suffering a lower-body injury on Jan. 2 in Colorado, but has been skating over the past three weeks. Bortuzzo joined his teammates for practice on Friday, which was his first since being placed on LTIR. The veteran blueliner recorded 16 hits and 17 blocked shots in his first 11 games with the Isles prior to the injury.

– Bo Horvat netted a pair of goals for the Isles on Sunday – including the team’s 10th shorthanded goal of the year – for his fourth multi-goal game of the season. He reached 497 career points, three shy of his 500th milestone.

Horvat is one goal shy of his third 30-goal season and two assists shy of matching his career-best 34 helpers set in the 2018-19 season. With nine more points this season, the 28-year-old center can tie a career-high with 70 points, recorded last year season split between the Islanders and Vancouver Canucks.

– Brock Nelson recorded two assists on Sunday for 250 in his career, becoming the 17th player in Isles history to accomplish the feat. Nelson is one goal shy of his third straight 30-goal season. His 250 career goals are two behind John Tavares for seventh in club history.

– Anders Lee had a three-point game (1G, 2A) in the most recent meeting on Dec. 23. The captain has 26 points (10G, 16A) through 33 career games played against the Canes. Lee is one point shy of his ninth 30-point season.

– Mathew Barzal buried the overtime winner in a 5-4 contest in Raleigh on Nov. 30 to cap off his fifth career four-point night. The winger has eight points (2G, 6A) through three games against Carolina this season.

– Simon Holmstrom scored two of his five shorthanded goals against the Hurricanes this season. The 22-year-old winger is tied for the league lead in goals (5) and points (7), although he hasn’t scored a shorthanded point since Jan. 23.

– The Islanders haven’t allowed a first period goal in their last 10 games, which breaks a franchise record of nine sets in the 1978-79 season.

– The Islanders are 15-10-8 this season on home ice. The Islanders have a three-game point streak at UBS Arena (2-0-1) including a 5-1 win over Boston on Mar. 2, a 4-2 victory over St. Louis on Mar. 5 and picking up a point most recently in a 4-3 loss to Ottawa.

– The Isles have fared well in their own division and conference this season, as they have an 8-5-5 record against Metropolitan Division opponents and an 18-11-9 record against teams in the East.