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Penguins-Islanders Preview

Mar 7, 2016 - 8:52 PM The Pittsburgh Penguins have certainly been encouraged by their recent results, which include a number of lopsided wins.

The New York Islanders are probably feeling even better as they continue their upward surge in the Atlantic Division.

With both coming off big victories, the Penguins visit the Islanders in a crucial division matchup Tuesday night.

The Islanders (36-20-7) pushed three points up on Pittsburgh and moved within three of the New York Rangers by beating their bitter intercity rivals for the third time in as many meetings this season, 6-4 on Sunday. Cal Clutterbuck scored the tiebreaking goal with 1:28 remaining in the third period as the Islanders overcame blowing a 3-0 first-period lead to earn their third straight win and cap a 6-1-0 road trip.

The Islanders occupy the third and final automatic playoff spot in the Atlantic, with three games in hand on the Rangers and two on the wild card-leading Penguins.

''We know we have games in hand, we know the situation,'' said forward Kyle Okposo, who scored during a wild seven-goal first period and has two goals and four assists in his past three. ''Obviously we're fighting for home ice down the stretch. We're fighting for a playoff spot.''

Johnny Boychuk had two goals for New York, which has scored 10 in the past two games.

"It was a crazy game," Clutterbuck told the team's official website. "The road trip was so long and you go through so many stages. This win right now was the biggest one."

The Islanders, though, need to tighten up defensively, having allowed 12 goals in the past four games. Plus, they'll be facing a Penguins team that's scored four or more six times in the last 10 games, winning by three or more goals five times in that span.

The most recent came Sunday, a 6-1 victory at New Jersey. Evgeni Malkin scored twice and backup Matt Murray faced only 18 shots as Pittsburgh (34-23-8) won for the fourth time in six games.

The Penguins bounced back from a lackluster 4-2 home loss to lowly Calgary on Saturday.

"Obviously this was the response we were looking for (after losing to the Flames)," coach Mike Sullivan told the team's website. "We believe in our leadership group. We knew they would play the right way and I thought we played hard and it was a solid team effort. We got contributions throughout our lineup."

The line of Tom Khunhackl, Nick Bonino and Bryan Rust also totaled two goals and four assists.

Malkin has recorded four goals and three assists in the last five games, while Sidney Crosby has three goals and six assists in a five-game streak.

Crosby scored twice and Malkin and Kris Letang each had three assists as Pittsburgh ended a four-game losing streak to New York in emphatic fashion Jan. 2, winning 5-2 at home. Marc-Andre Fleury, expected to start Tuesday, made 38 saves.

John Tavares scored in that game and has three goals and three assists in a four-game point streak in the series. However, the Islanders captain has gone five games without a goal and managed just two shots Monday.

Malkin has recorded four goals and 10 assists in his last nine against New York, while Crosby has four goals and two assists in his past three matchups.

The Islanders have won the last two home meetings with the Penguins.