The New York Islanders have fared well without Mathew Barzal this season.
Just how long they will have to play without the veteran center, however, remains a mystery.
The Islanders will look to secure their first three-game winning streak of the season Thursday night when they conclude a two-game homestand against the Los Angeles Kings.
Both teams were off Wednesday after winning Tuesday. The Islanders held off the Anaheim Ducks 3-2, while the visiting Kings earned their first win of the season by overcoming an early deficit to beat the Washington Capitals 5-2.
New York’s victory extended its point streak to four games (3-0-1). Ondrej Palat and Victor Eklund scored within a three-minute span late in the first period Tuesday.
“The last two games are probably our most complete, 60-minute games,” New York coach Pete DeBoer said.
The Islanders have scored three goals or fewer in six of their first nine games this season without Barzal, who has led or shared the team lead in scoring in seven of the past nine seasons.
Barzal is dealing with inflammation in his left knee, likely a residual effect of the broken left kneecap he sustained while blocking a shot against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Feb. 1, 2025.
Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche said Wednesday that Barzal continues to skate but has no timeline for his return.
“We hope (he returns) sooner,” Darche said Wednesday. “Every day he’s starting to skate a bit more and we’re hoping at some point to get him with the team.”
The Kings snapped a lengthy drought Tuesday, when they became the last NHL team to earn a win this season. Los Angeles’ 0-4-2 start was its longest season-opening winless streak since the 1984-85 team opened 0-6-3.
“I don’t think it’s unusual for teams to go on losing streaks throughout the year, but when it’s at the start of the year, it gets magnified and it feels a lot worse for us,” Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper said after making 30 saves in the Washington win.
Los Angeles got off to a discouraging start Tuesday, falling behind 2-0 in the first period. But Adrian Kempe and Artemi Panarin scored 31 seconds apart in the final minute of the period to tie the game. Erik Gustafsson then scored an unassisted power-play goal to give the Kings their first third-period lead of the season.
Kempe and Scott Laughton added goals in the third period as the Kings scored their most goals since a 5-3 win over the Seattle Kraken on April 13.
“Nice to get a win and now we just got to keep rolling,” Kuemper said.