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.
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.
Barzal played 22:46 time-on-ice in Wednesday's 2-0 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, showing no signs of impairment, but is away from the team as he gets evaluated for an upper-body injury back in New York. After a stellar 2023-24 season, scoring 80 points (23G / 57A) in 80 games, Barzal has started the 2024-25 campaign slowly, with only five points (2G / 3A) in 10 games. At the Islanders' morning skate on Friday, Jean-Gabriel Pageau was in Barzal's usual spot, flanking Bo Horvat.
After playing two straight games, Engvall will be a healthy scratch on Wednesday, replaced in the lineup by Matt Martin. The 28-year-old Engvall is averaging 10:27 time-on-ice and has four penalty minutes in two games this season.
Pierre Engvall will be a healthy scratch on Wednesday, allowing Martin to re-enter the lineup for his second game of the season. Martin played 9:45 time-on-ice, recording two hits and a -1 plus/minus in his season debut last week.
Romanov is nearing a return but will likely miss a third straight game due to an upper-body injury on Wednesday. The 24-year-old Romanov has two points (0G / 2A), 19 blocks, and 14 hits in eight games this season.
The Sharks will opt to give Mackenzie Blackwood the night off as Vanecek gets the nod in the tail-end of their back-to-back on Tuesday. Vanecek struggled his last time out, surrendering seven goals on 42 shots in a 7-3 defeat at the hands of the Golden Knights. He owns an .869 SV% and has failed to record a victory in his first five appearances. He will be hard-pressed to pick up his first win of the season on Tuesday with the Sharks entering action as +260 underdogs.
Scott Perunovich will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday, allowing Kessel to re-enter the lineup for the Blues. The 24-year-old Kessel has seven points (1G / 6A) in 47 career games while averaging 16:07 time-on-ice but has yet to record a point through six games this season and is only averaging 11:58.
Romanov did not play on Saturday and will miss a second game on Tuesday due to an upper-body injury. The 24-year-old Romanov has two points (0G / 2A), 19 blocks, and 14 hits in eight games this season.
The Islanders have evenly split playing time between Semyon Varlamov and Sorokin through eight games this season and will continue the trend with an incoming back-to-back on Tuesday and Wednesday. Varlamov will start the tail end of the back-to-back on Wednesday and look to improve on a forgetful start to the 2024-25 season, posting an ugly 3.72 GAA and .854 SV% in four outings (1-2-1). The 36-year-old netminder is well off from his career average of 2.65 GAA and .916 SV%.
The Islanders have evenly split playing time between Semyon Varlamov and Sorokin through eight games this season and will continue the trend with an incoming back-to-back on Tuesday and Wednesday. Sorokin will start on Tuesday and look to improve on stellar totals early in the 2024-25 season, boasting a 1.74 GAA and .936 SV% in four outings (2-1-1). The Islanders will face off against an Anaheim Ducks club that has only scored 18 goals through eight games this season, fewest in the NHL.
After being the Islanders' starting goaltender in the first two games of the season, Varlamov has served as the backup to Ilya Sorokin in four of the last five games. Varlamov is expected to return to the starter's crease on Saturday, the tail end of a back-to-back, and search for his second victory of the season. The 36-year-old Varlamov, in his 17th NHL season, has started the 2024-25 season with undesirable results, showcasing a pedestrian 3.27 GAA and .868 SV% in three games (1-1-1).
