The New York Islanders needed a win as they take on the Vancouver Canucks to end their Western Canadian road trip. With a loss to the Calgary Flames and an overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers, their gap at the top of the Metropolitan division is eroding.
The win against a struggling Vancouver Canucks team (3-5-2 over their last ten games) was huge to keep pace with some of the teams breathing down the Isles neck.
Mathew Barzal gets to return home to play in front of friends and family and maybe even show off his two new wingers.