Hudson Fasching will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Martin to re-enter the lineup after a three-game absence. Matt Martin has only played two games this season, averaging 9:34 time-on-ice, but has been his usual bruting self, racking up five hits.
The Sharks have won three of their last four games, two with Vanecek between the pipes, and will turn to him for a second consecutive start for the first time this season. The 28-year-old Vanecek has been serviceable between the pipes for a Sharks club with a -17 goal differential, second-worst in the league, posting a 3.21 GAA and .902 SV% in seven outings (2-4-0). That said, the Sharks enter the action on Thursday as significant +225 home underdogs against a Minnesota Wild club with only two regulation losses (8-2-2).
After serving as the backup to Ilya Sorokin for three straight games (2-1-0), Varlamov will return to the crease for the Islanders on Thursday. The 36-year-old Varlamov, a 17-year veteran, has an excellent 2.65 GAA and .916 SV% over his career but has a far less impressive 3.21 GAA and .876 SV% through five games this season (1-3-1). The Islanders enter the action on Thursday as +120 road underdogs against an Ottawa Senators club that has only scored five combined goals in their previous three games (1-2-0).
After serving as the backup to Ilya Sorokin for three straight games (2-1-0), Varlamov will likely return to the crease for the Islanders on Thursday. The 36-year-old Varlamov, a 17-year veteran, has an excellent 2.65 GAA and .916 SV% over his career but has a far less impressive 3.21 GAA and .876 SV% through five games this season (1-3-1). The Islanders enter the action on Thursday as +120 road underdogs against an Ottawa Senators club that has only scored five combined goals in their previous three games (1-2-0).
Vanecek has taken a back seat to Mackenzie Blackwood lately, starting only two of the last seven games for the Sharks, but will return to the crease on Tuesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 28-year-old Vanecek has an unspectacular 3.65 GAA and .879 SV% through six games this season (1-4-0), but was stellar in his previous outing, saving 26 of 28 shots (.929 SV%) in a 4-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings. The Sharks enter the action on Tuesday as +112 home underdogs against a Blue Jackets club off to a 5-5-1 start.
Vanecek has taken a back seat to Mackenzie Blackwood lately, starting only two of the last seven games for the Sharks, but will likely return to the crease on Tuesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 28-year-old Vanecek has an unspectacular 3.65 GAA and .879 SV% through six games this season (1-4-0), but was stellar in his previous outing, saving 26 of 28 shots (.929 SV%) in a 4-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings. The Sharks enter the action on Tuesday as +112 home underdogs against a Blue Jackets club off to a 5-5-1 start.
Romanov is inching closer to a return, being a game-time decision in the last two contests, but will remain out of the lineup for a fifth straight game. The 24-year-old Romanov has two points (0G / 2A), 19 blocks, and 14 hits in eight games this season.
George was the fourth-round pick, 98th overall, of the Islanders in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. The 20-year-old defenseman has two points (1G / 1A) in four games with the Bridgeport Islanders (AHL) this season, his first professional campaign.
After seeing sporadic deployment in the first four weeks of the season, splitting time with Semyon Varlamov, Sorokin will make his third consecutive start for the Islanders on Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Despite allowing seven combined goals in his last two outings (1-1-0), Sorokin has been tremendous between the pipes this season, posting a stellar 2.29 GAA and .922 SV% in seven contests (3-3-1). The Islanders will face off against a Penguins team riding a season-best two-game winning streak despite allowing 50 goals this season, the most in the Eastern Conference.
The Islanders have been very liberal in alternating goalies this season despite Sorokin seemingly returning to the form that made him a Vezina-trophy runner-up in the 2022-23 season. The 29-year-old Sorokin has been terrific to start the 2024-25 campaign, posting a dazzling 1.80 GAA and .932 SV%, but only has a 2-2-1 record to show for it. The Islanders rank worst in the league offensively, averaging only 2.2 goals per game, and enter the action on Friday as slight -104 road underdogs against the Buffalo Sabres.
Romanov has missed three straight games due to an upper-body injury but is likely to make his return on Friday, replacing Dennis Cholowski. The 24-year-old Romanov has two points (0G / 2A), 19 blocks, and 14 hits in eight games this season.
With Mathew Barzal (upper-body) away from the team to get evaluated, Engvall will slide back into the Islanders lineup on Friday. The 28-year-old Engvall is averaging 10:27 time-on-ice and has four penalty minutes in two games this season.
Oliver Wahlstrom will draw into the Islanders' lineup on Friday, sending Martin back to the press box as a healthy scratch. Matt Martin has only played two games this season, averaging 9:34 time-on-ice, but has been his usual bruting self, racking up five hits.
