Islanders vs. Jets

Wednesday, 04.04.2012 / 11:34 AM

Team Record: 33-36-11
Last Game: 3-1 L @ NJD
Season Series: 2-1-0 of 4

Team Record: 37-34-9
Last Game: 5-4 OTW @ FLA
Season Series: 1-1-1 of 4

Steve Staios
Staios made his NHL debut as a member of the Boston Bruins on March 21, 1996. Fifteen years later, in September 2011, he attended Islanders training camp as an invite. Two weeks after camp opened, he signed a one-year contract to continue his professional career. Thursday night, as an Isles assistant captain, he’ll play his 1,000th career game.

Staios brought an enormous amount of experience to a very young, up-and-coming team on Long Island. With that experience came a letter ‘A’ on his jersey and a chance to prove he still could play at the highest level. He’s done just that, often on a defensive pair with Captain Mark Streit, steadying the game for the youngsters still learning their way. This milestone game represents Staios’ dedication, will, hardwork and passion for the game of hockey; it will be yet one more lesson he can teach his teammates without a word.

Blake Wheeler
Winding down his fourth NHL season, Wheeler is hitting full stride, leading the Jets in assists (46) and points (63). He’s tied with Bryan Little and Evander Kane for the most power-plays goals (6) on the squad and unloaded the fourth-most shots on net of any Jet.

His career highs this season are revealing the potential Phoenix originally saw when they drafted Wheeler fifth overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, behind only Alex Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin, Cam Barker and his current captain, Andrew Ladd. Wheeler also knows how to walk the disciplined line of aggression, playing physical when necessary and taking only 51 penalty minutes this year. That’s number four amongst Winnipeg forwards.

Click the photo for gallery from the last time the Islanders played the Jets.

Player	Date of	Injury	Games Missed	Prognosis
Cizikas	3/29	Upper body	3	day-to-day
DiPietro	1/3	Sports hernia/knee swelling	44	10 weeks
Nabokov	1/27	Lower body	4

Power play: 18.9%
Penalty kill: 80.9%
Home record: 16-18-6
Road record: 17-18-5
Goals For: 195
Goals Against: 244

Power play: 18.3%
Penalty kill: 79.7%
Home record: 23-14-4
Road record: 14-21-5
Goals For: 214
Goals Against: 237

Answer from Sunday's question: When the Colorado Rockies moved to New Jersey in 1982, the Islanders owned their new neighbors putting together a massive winning streak. How long was it? The answer is: 4 games. The Islanders went 14-0 against the Devils in the 1982-83 and 83-84 seasons. New Jersey finally got on the board with a win in the first meeting of the 1984-85 season.

Check back after media availability for starting goalie and lineups. Follow @NYIslanders for any updates.

Forwards:
Ladd-Little-Wheeler
Kane- Burmistrov-Miettinen
Thorburn-Slater-Machacek
Stapleton-Antropov-Cormier

Defensemen:
Enstrom-Byfuglien
Hainsey-Bogosian
Jones-Stuart

Goaltenders:
Pavelec; Mason

*Cory Wright contributed to this report

25	SHOTS	28
24	FACEOFFS	30
20	HITS	17
6	PIM	6
0/3	PP	0/3
20	GIVEAWAYS	21
7	TAKEAWAYS	20
11	BLOCKED SHOTS	17