The Islanders’ long-winding five-game road trip is back in the Eastern time zone but not yet finished until they wrap things up with the Red Wings in Detroit Thursday night.
The Red Wings, in Year 19 of the Yzer-plan, sit in seventh place in the Atlantic with a .444 points percentage. They have a minus-14 goal differential and thus far are as meh at home as they are on the road and in general.
The Islanders meanwhile head into this one 1-1-2 on the road trip, with some promising 5-on-5 moments despite their injuries yet a frustrating continual struggle to score, convert on the power play or kill penalties.