Islanders Vs Ducks Preview: Schaefer’s Scoring, Rittich to Start in Anaheim
The islanders vs ducks matchup on March 4 at Honda Center starts at 10 p. m. ET and kicks off New York’s four-game road trip, with the Islanders chasing a sixth straight win that would extend their season-high.
Rittich confirmed to start in Anaheim
Head Coach Patrick Roy confirmed David Rittich will start between the pipes for the second straight game against the Ducks on Wednesday night, a decision that follows Rittich’s 29-save performance on 33 shots in New York’s 5-4 win over the Florida Panthers. Rittich is 13-8-3 this season with a 2. 63 goals-against average and a. 899 save percentage, and he made 31 saves on 33 shots in the Islanders’ earlier 5-2 win over Anaheim this season.
Islanders riding comeback form into Honda Center
New York has stormed back from 2-0 deficits in each of its last three outings, including the 5-4 victory over the Panthers on Sunday night that featured Matthew Schaefer’s two goals and an assist, goals from Carson Soucy and Bo Horvat, and Anders Lee’s game-winner in the final minute. The Islanders enter Anaheim at 35-21-5, while the Ducks sit at 33-24-3.
Lines, injuries and roster notes for the road trip
Practice lines listed in Anaheim included Ondrej Palat – Bo Horvat – Mathew Barzal, Anthony Duclair – Cal Ritchie – Emil Heineman, Anders Lee – JG Pageau – Simon Holmstrom, and Kyle MacLean – Casey Cizikas – Marc Gatcomb. On defense, Matthew Schaefer skated with Scott Mayfield, Adam Pelech with Tony DeAngelo, and Carson Soucy paired with Adam Boqvist. Jonathan Drouin joined the Islanders on the ice at their first practice in Anaheim after missing Sunday’s game with a lower-body injury; the first-year Islander has 20 points (3G, 17A) in 53 games this season.
Ryan Pulock missed the team’s practice in Anaheim with maintenance work; Pulock earned an assist in the 5-4 win over Florida and sits one goal away from tying Kenny Jonsson for the third-most goals by a defenseman in Islanders history.
Standings context and milestones to watch
The Islanders sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 75 points, tied with the second-place Pittsburgh Penguins at 75 points, though the Penguins have one game in hand. Anders Lee’s late winner moved him to 303 career goals for the blue and orange, placing him one tally away from tying Clark Gillies for the fourth-most goals in franchise history; Lee scored twice in the previous meeting with the Ducks in December.
The matchup is scheduled for March 4 at Honda Center at 10 p. m. ET. Fans can watch on MSGSN or stream on the Gotham Sports App, and the Islanders will follow the back-to-back schedule with Ilya Sorokin slated to start against the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday for the second half of the set.
