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Islanders look to remain hot at home

Nov 26, 2007 - 2:43 PM Dallas (11-7-4) at NY Islanders (12-8-0) 7:00 pm EST

UNIONDALE, New York (Ticker) - Home has been pretty sweet for the New York Islanders, who have won eight of 11 games at the Nassau Coliseum.

New York will be hard-pressed to continue its strong play at home on Monday when the sizzling Dallas Stars visit. Pacific Division-leading Dallas is 7-1-2 in its last 10 games.

The Stars have won five straight, including a 3-2 road victory on Sunday over the New York Rangers. Mike Smith stopped 39 shots in goal for Dallas, which was outshot 41-18. Captain Brenden Morrow scored a power-play goal early in the third period as the Stars began a six-game road trip that includes a game with each team in the Atlantic Division.

Dallas was 2-for-3 on the power play and has scored on 10 of 21 chances the past seven games. The Stars are 5-0-1 since general manager Doug Armstrong and team president Jim Lites were fired. The game also marked the return of Dallas left wing Brad Winchester, who had missed the previous nine games with an abdominal strain.

New York defeated visiting Boston, 2-1, on Saturday in the back end of a home-and-home. Andy Hilbert recorded his first goal and point with one second-period shot and Richard Park scored in the third period for the Islanders.

Rick DiPietro made 20 saves for the Islanders and picked up an assist on Hilbert's goal. Defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeron saw his first action in six games after being scratched the previous five.

The Islanders have not scored more than two goals in eight consecutive games. New York is 4-4 in that stretch with a total of 13 goals.