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Isles try to end slide against visiting Jets

Nov 3, 2011 - 3:11 PM (Sports Network) - The New York Islanders will aim for their first win in nearly three weeks when they welcome the Winnipeg Jets for tonight's clash at Nassau Coliseum.

The Islanders last won on Oct. 15, beating the rival Rangers for their third straight victory. However, New York has lost five in a row since, posting an 0-3-2 record over that stretch.

New York last went five games without a win when it lost six straight -- all in regulation -- from Dec. 2-13 of last season.

Perhaps the Isles can build off some recent minor achievements to secure a win tonight. The club has recorded a point in two straight games, dropping a shootout decision last Thursday in Pittsburgh and losing in overtime Saturday against visiting San Jose.

The Islanders lost a 3-2 decision to the Sharks after Brent Burns scored the game-winning goal at 1:07 of the overtime period. Burns' tally came on the power-play after New York's Travis Hamonic was called for a delay of game penalty for lifting the puck over the glass.

John Tavares and Michael Grabner netted power-play goals for the Isles. Tavares leads the Isles with seven goals this year and Grabner is next with three.

"I think we did a lot of good things tonight and the team has come a long way," Tavares said. "We just need to play with a little more desperation."

Rick DiPietro stopped 27-of-30 shots fired his way in the losing effort. DiPietro could get the start again tonight with Evgeni Nabokov questionable with a lower body injury.

The Isles are 3-2-1 as the host this year and are playing the middle test of a three-game homestand. New York will complete the residency Saturday against Washington.

Winnipeg is 2-1-0 so far on a seven-game road trip and is coming off Monday's shootout victory over Florida. Andrew Ladd scored the deciding shootout goal to lift the Jets to a 4-3 triumph over the Panthers.

After a scoreless first round, Ladd beat Jose Theodore and Kyle Wellwood followed a Mike Santorelli miss with a goal to seal the Jets' second win in three games.

Evander Kane scored a pair of goals, including the game-tying goal with 50 seconds remaining in regulation, while Wellwood added a first-period goal.

Ondrej Pavelec stopped 39 shots for the Jets. It was the third straight start for Pavelec, who will likely get the call again tonight with Chris Mason battling a groin injury.

Jets defenseman Tobias Enstrom will not play in tonight's game due to an upper body injury suffered Monday on a hit by Florida's Jack Skille. Enstrom, who has one goal and five assists in 11 games this year, returned to Winnipeg rather than traveling with the team to New York.

The Jets franchise won three of four meetings with the Isles last year when they were still known as the Atlanta Thrashers. New York has also lost two straight and four of its last six home games in this series.