Sorokin's stellar play propels Islanders' season, vaulting him into Vezina Trophy contention with elite defensive analytics and shifting odds.

New York Islanders veteran Anders Lee delivered a positive message after the team's 2-1 shootout loss to the Nashville Predators.

Islanders GM Mathieu Darche hasn’t betrayed much urgency about signing Anders Lee or Jean-Gabriel Pageau, both pending free agents, to new deals.

David Rittich and Juuse Saros battled through 65 minutes to a 1-1 tie, but Filip Forsberg scored the only goal of the shootout as the Nashville Predators defeated the Isles, 2-1, before a sellout crowd of 17,159 at Bridgestone Arena.

Markstrom allowed goals on the first two shots he faced — from Mathew Barzal and Duclair — and three on five, finishing with nine on 24.

The Islanders reversed their plan to have Bo Horvat travel on the entire seven-game road trip that started in Nashville on Thursday.

The Isles are 24-15-4 overall; they are 14-8-2 at home and 10-7-2 on the road. New Jersey is 22-19-2 overall; they are 11-8-2 at home and 11-11-0 on the road. The Isles are 14-9-4 against the East (7-5-2 vs. Metropolitan and 7-4-2 vs. Atlantic) and 10-6-0 against the West (4-5-0 vs. Central and 6-1-0 vs. Pacific).

The Nashville Predators and New York Islanders take the ice in NHL play at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday, Jan. 8 at 8 p.m. ET. The game airs on ESPN+. Nashville fell 6-2 on the road its last time out on Jan. 6 against the Edmonton Oilers. New York won at home in its most recent game on Jan. 6, 9-0 over the New Jersey Devils.

Predators coach Andrew Brunette is the latest to sing the praises of Islanders superstar rookie Matthew Schaefer.

Wallstedt and the Wild will get their wish when Minnesota faces off against the New York Islanders on Saturday night in Saint Paul, Minn. It marks the first home game for the Wild since Dec. 23, when they lost to the Nashville Predators 3-2 in overtime.