Islanders at Sharks: Lines, open thread and how to watch

Mar 18, 2023 - 9:10 PM

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A quick setup for tonight’s game. The New York Islanders pay the team’s one and only visit to SAP Center this season. The Islanders are trying to hunt down a wild card spot in the playoffs, but will have to do it without top scorer Mathew Barzal. Barzal is out with a lower body injury.

On the Sharks’ side of the ice, Martin Kaut is back in the lineup in place of Evgeny Svechnikov. Svechnikov left Thursday night’s game with a lower body injury and did not return.

Pride night

Tonight is Pride Night at the Tank.

While the Sharks are allowing players to make their own choice when it comes to wearing this jersey during warmups, the team itself has issued a statement regarding its stance on Pride Night.

It looks like goaltender James Reimer will not be participating by wearing a Pride Night jersey. He offered a statement to explain his stance.

The Athletic’s Corey Masisak tweeted out Captain Logan Couture’s response.

The Sharks will also be sharing LGBTQIA+ information throughout its social media channels tonight.

San Jose Sharks

STATS

Record: 19-36-14
Streak: L5
Goals Leader: Logan Couture (24 G, 34 A)
Assists Leader: Erik Karlsson (20 G, 65 A)
Power Play: 18.2%
Penalty Kill: 82.9%
Goals For/60: 2.87
Goals Against/60: 3.75

LINES
(Per NHL.com)

William Eklund – Logan Couture – Kevin Labanc
Andreas Johnsson – Tomas Hertl – Alexander Barabanov
Noah Gregor – Nico Sturm – Martin Kaut
Oskar Lindblom – Steven Lorentz – Fabian Zetterlund

Derrick Pouliot – Erik Karlsson
Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Nikolai Knyzhov
Mario Ferraro – Matt Benning

Kaapo Kahkonen
James Reimer

Expected Scratches: Jonah Gadjovich, Radim Simek

Injured Reserve: Luke Kunin (knee), Markus Nutivaara (lower body), Jacob MacDonald (undisclosed), Evgeny Svechnikov (lower body)

New York Islanders

STATS

Record: 35-27-8
Streak: W1
Goals Leader: Brock Nelson (30 G, 35 A)
Assists Leader: Mathew Barzal (14 G, 37 A)
Power Play: 16.4%
Penalty Kill: 81.9%
Goals For/60: 2.91
Goals Against/60: 2.71

LINES
(Per NHL.com)

Anders Lee — Bo Horvat — Simon Holmstrom
Zach Parise — Brock Nelson — Kyle Palmieri
Matt Martin — Casey Cizikas — Cal Clutterbuck
Pierre Engvall — Jean-Gabriel Pageau — Hudson Fasching

Adam Pelech — Scott Mayfield
Alexander Romanov — Ryan Pulock
Sebastian Aho — Noah Dobson

Ilya Sorokin
Semyon Varlamov

Expected Scratches: Ross Johnston, Parker Wotherspoon

Injured Reserve: Mathew Barzal (lower body), Oliver Wahlstrom (lower body), Otto Koivula (lower body), Josh Bailey (illness)

How to watch

Today’s game will be broadcast locally on NBCSCA. The radio call will be streamed through the Sharks Audio Network. Puck drop is 7:30 p.m. PT/10:30 p.m. ET at SAP Center in San Jose.

Islanders’ fans can watch on MSGSN.

Check back then to follow along with all of the play-by-play action in the comment section below!