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Oilers-Islanders Preview

Nov 1, 2009 - 11:13 PM By MIKE LIPKA STATS Writer

Edmonton (7-6-1) at New York (4-4-5), 7:00 p.m. EDT

Jeff Tambellini has helped spark the New York Islanders offensively as they won their last three games. He may also have made his father wish he played for the Edmonton Oilers.

Edmonton general manager Steve Tambellini hopes his team can score a goal on the road for the first time in more than seven periods when the Oilers visit the Islanders on Monday night.

The elder Tambellini was already at Nassau Coliseum on Saturday night, when Jeff notched his first career hat trick to help New York beat Buffalo 5-0.

"It's a pretty special night for me," said Jeff Tambellini, who scored six goals in his last five games after notching seven in 65 games last season. "I was happy he got to see that."

The emergence of the 25-year-old forward has helped the young Islanders (4-4-5) turn it around after a woeful start, which came after they finished with an NHL-worst 61 points last season.

After losing six straight to start 2009-10, New York has gone 4-1-2 in its last seven and scored at least four goals in each of its last two contests. The Islanders failed to reach that number in the season's first 11 games.

Martin Biron earned his first victory with New York with a 38-save performance against the Sabres, while the Islanders chased red-hot Buffalo goalie Ryan Miller.

"We found the way we want to play and how we can respond against good teams," Biron said. "I think everybody is starting to understand each other a little bit better."

Edmonton (7-6-1) opened 6-2-1 before losing four of five - a stretch that included three shutouts. The Oilers' last two road games produced 2-0 defeats, and they managed just 19 shots at Boston on Saturday.

With several players slowed by the flu in recent games, the typically fast-skating Oilers (7-6-1) have looked flat. Their last road goal came in the second period of a 5-2 loss to Calgary on Oct. 24, and they have dropped four straight away from home since a 6-1 win in their road opener against Nashville on Oct. 12.

"I think we've got to find energy. I don't think we have to make excuses for ourselves," center Gilbert Brule said. "I think we're a good enough team, we have lots of speed, we have young guys on our team. ... We have to get more shots. Throw pucks at the net, wherever we are."

Nikolai Khabibulin has been busy during Edmonton's struggles, facing an average of nearly 36 shots in his last four starts. He has a 3.45 goals-against average in that stretch.

Khabibulin has had trouble in his career versus the Islanders, going 5-10-0 with a 3.90 GAA in 17 starts.

New York's Dwayne Roloson could face the Oilers for the first time since spending the previous three-plus seasons with the club. While Biron is coming off the shutout, the two have been sharing time and Roloson stopped 71 of 75 shots in winning his last two appearances.

This will be Edmonton's first game on Long Island since Dec. 10, 2005. The Oilers haven't won at Nassau Coliseum since Dec. 14, 1999, losing their last four visits.