Islanders Face Off Against Red Wings: Game Preview
Max Shabanov will be sidelined for the New York Islanders’ upcoming game against the Detroit Red Wings due to an upper-body injury. Head Coach Patrick Roy indicated that Shabanov is considered day-to-day and had a maintenance day on Wednesday. In his six NHL games, the Russian winger has recorded three points, featuring one goal and two assists.
Game Preview: Islanders vs. Red Wings
With Shabanov unavailable, Simon Holmstrom is expected to take his place in the lineup. Additionally, Kyle MacLean may also join the Islanders for this critical matchup. The projected lineup for the Islanders includes:
- Jonathan Drouin – Bo Horvat – Emil Heineman
- Anthony Duclair – Mathew Barzal – Kyle Palmieri
- Anders Lee – Jean-Gabriel Pageau – Simon Holmstrom
- Kyle MacLean – Casey Cizikas – Max Tsyplakov
- Adam Pelech – Ryan Pulock
- Adam Boqvist – Tony DeAngelo
- Matthew Schaefer – Scott Mayfield
Rittich to Start for Islanders
David Rittich is set to make his second start as an Islander against the Red Wings. In his previous performance, Rittich achieved 33 saves, guiding the Islanders to a 4-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Notably, Rittich boasts a strong record against Detroit, holding a lifetime record of 4-0-1 with a .926 save percentage and 1.68 goals against average.
Injury Updates
Alexander Romanov has also been ruled out against the Red Wings due to an upper-body injury. He is expected to miss the following game on Saturday against Philadelphia. The defenseman was placed on injured reserve, retroactive to October 16, and has not participated in practice recently. Romanov has tallied 12 blocked shots and 15 hits in four games this season.
Potential Record Milestone
If Matthew Schaefer records an assist during Thursday’s game, he will set a new NHL record for the longest point streak for a defenseman to start his career. He is already recognized as the youngest defenseman to have points in his first six NHL games, score a game-winning goal, and achieve a multi-point game.
Season Series Recap
The Islanders struggled against the Red Wings last season, finishing with an 0-3-0 record. The teams last faced off on November 25, 2024, concluding their season series early.
