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Islanders look to avoid first-ever season-opening three-game skid

Oct 10, 2006 - 2:53 PM NY Islanders (0-2-0) at Los Angeles (1-1-0) 10:30 pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The road has not been very kind to the New York Islanders.

The Islanders will look to avoid losing their opening three contests of the season for the first time in franchise history Tuesday when they travel to the Los Angeles Kings.

Joining the NHL in 1972, New York had managed to collect at least one win among its first three games in its previous 33 seasons. This season may be an exception as the Islanders are forced to open with four straight road games against Western Conference foes.

So far, the Islanders have struggled mightily, getting outscored 8-3 in losses to Phoenix and San Jose.

In a 2-0 setback to the Sharks on Saturday, the Islanders were turned aside on all 26 of their shots as Evgeni Nabokov recorded his 28th career shutout.

New York has fallen short in all facets of the game in the first two contests, but have been especially sluggish on the power play, going 1-for-12 in the early season.

In the last meeting with the Kings, Islanders goaltender Rick DiPietro made 29 saves in a 1-1 tie on February 16, 2004. DiPietro has since signed an unprecedented 15-year, $67.5 million contract prior to the season.

Los Angeles picked up its first victory of the season with a 4-1 win over St. Louis on Saturday. Alexander Frolov had a goal and an assist and Anze Kopitar added three assists.