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Isles try to snap skid vs. Devils

Jan 9, 2015 - 3:52 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The New York Islanders will try to avoid their longest losing streak in a month when they visit the rival New Jersey Devils for Friday's divisional clash at Prudential Center.

The Islanders' current seven-game road trip began on a positive note with the club beating Winnipeg and Calgary to extend its overall winning streak to three games.

However, consecutive regulation losses in Edmonton and Vancouver has New York one loss away from matching its worst losing streak of the season. The Isles, who are second in the Metropolitan Division and one point behind Pittsburgh, have dropped three in a row twice before this season, with the last time coming during an 0-3 stretch from Dec. 6-11.

After losing 5-2 to the Oilers on Sunday, the Isles suffered a 3-2 setback Tuesday in Vancouver. Linden Vey scored the eventual game-winner late in the second period for the Canucks, who tallied three times on Jaroslav Halak despite firing only 20 shots on net.

Matt Martin and Mikhail Grabovski scored for the Islanders, who went 0-of-3 on the power play.

"We weren't sharp, we didn't execute," said New York forward Kyle Okposo. "Even the last three games we haven't been quite ourselves and had that same pop -- that same jump. We just have to find a way to get that back. It's not time to panic, but we need to be better."

New York played without forward Josh Bailey, who is questionable for tonight with an upper-body injury. Defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky also missed Tuesday's tilt with an upper-body injury and has been placed on injured reserve.

With the Isles also scheduled to play tomorrow in Columbus, Halak's backup Chad Johnson could get a start over the next two days. Halak is 5-4-1 with a 2.35 goals against average in his career versus the Devils, while Johnson owns a 1-1-0 record and 2.50 GAA in this matchup.

The Devils are hoping to return to get back on track tonight after having a two-game winning streak snapped with Thursday's 3-0 setback in Boston. The shutout loss prevented New Jersey from matching its longest winning streak of the season.

After putting up nine goals in back-to-back wins over Philadelphia and Buffalo coming in, the Devils generated little offense on Thursday. Cory Schneider managed to keep New Jersey in it most of the way by stopping an outstanding 40-of-42 attempts.

"You have to get shots. We didn't get shots," said Devils acting head coach Lou Lamoriello.

Lamoriello's club is 3-4-0 since firing head coach Peter DeBoer and finds itself 11 points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Devils are expected to give Schneider a rest tonight and go with backup Keith Kinkaid. The rookie suffered a shootout loss in his only career appearance against the Isles on Dec. 15.

New Jersey is home for one game before heading out on a three-game California swing that begins Wednesday in Los Angeles.

The Isles are 2-0 against New Jersey this season and have claimed four straight and seven of the last nine against their divisional foes. New York also has claimed the last four encounters in the Garden State.