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Maple Leafs-Islanders Preview

Mar 14, 2010 - 6:24 AM By MIKE LIPKA STATS Writer

Toronto (22-33-12) at New York (26-32-9), 5:00 p.m. EDT

Neither the New York Islanders nor the Toronto Maple Leafs are likely to make the playoffs, but the Eastern Conference's two worst teams are each hoping to develop some positive momentum down the stretch.

The Maple Leafs will have a chance to extend what is already their longest winning streak of the season Sunday on Long Island, while New York hopes to notch back-to-back victories for the first time in nearly two months.

The young Islanders (27-32-9) had slipped from contention with a 3-12-1 stretch that culminated in a four-game losing streak, but they snapped that skid with a 4-2 win over New Jersey on Saturday night. They will now try for their first consecutive wins since a four-game winning streak from Jan. 9-18.

Taking advantage of a Devils team that was giving four-time Vezina Trophy winner Martin Brodeur the night off, New York got one point from 10 different players, including goals from defensemen Freddy Meyer and Mark Streit.

New Jersey had a four-minute power play while trailing 3-2 in the third period, but Sean Bergenheim scored short-handed - his first goal in 18 games - to help the Islanders seal the win.

New York held the Devils without a power play goal in four chances, breaking a string of six straight games where an Islanders' opponent had scored at least once with the man advantage.

"It was a great job by our penalty kill all-around tonight," forward Blake Comeau said. "I thought it's been better the last couple games, and it's something that we've got to continue to have."

The only NHL team with a penalty kill worse than the Islanders is Toronto, which is also the only club behind New York in the East standings.

But while the Maple Leafs (23-33-12) allowed NHL-worst Edmonton to score twice on six power plays Saturday, Toronto used an offensive outburst to beat the Oilers 6-4.

The victory gave the Leafs their first three-game winning streak all season. They haven't won four straight since Feb. 22-28, 2009.

"We're fighting hard to get points," forward Tyler Bozak said. "We're on a little roll here. I hope that we can keep that going."

Bozak had a goal and two assists and Phil Kessel added two goals and an assist as Toronto's young forwards sparked another offensive outburst. After the Leafs had totaled five goals in their first four games after the Olympic break, they've averaged 4.7 during their brief winning streak.

Kessel has six points in that stretch, while Bozak and Nikolai Kulemin each have five. All three are 23 or younger.

Toronto's offense was quiet in a 3-1 road loss Dec. 23, dropping the Leafs to 1-1-1 against the Islanders this season.

Dwayne Roloson made 26 saves in that game and is 3-1-0 with a 1.97 goals-against average in his last four starts against Toronto - including a 58-save performance in a 4-3 overtime win at Toronto on Nov. 23.

It's unclear if Roloson will get another start over Martin Biron 24 hours after he stopped 38 shots to beat the Devils. Toronto's Jonas Gustavsson made 25 saves against Edmonton and could be replaced by Jean-Sebastien Giguere.