Penguins-Islanders preview

Some news, notes and numbers in advance of the Penguins’ game on Long Island tonight:

*** Here are the Penguins’ lines from their game-day skate at Nassau Coliseum: Chris Kunitz-Sidney Crosby-Pascal Dupuis, Jussi Jokinen-Evgeni Malkin-James Neal, Andrew Ebbett-Brandon Sutter-Chris Conner and Zach Sill-Joe Vitale-Craig Adams.

*** Defenseman Robert Bortuzzo and injured winger Chuck Kobasew stayed on the ice long after most of their teammates had departed. Seems safe to assume that both will spend the evening in street clothes.

*** The Penguins are 11-4-2 in their past 17 regular-season games at Nassau Coliseum and split a pair of games with the Islanders earlier this season at Consol Energy Center.

*** Coach Dan Bylsma confirmed that, as expected, Marc-Andre Fleury will be in goal for the Penguins.

*** The Islanders have gone 0-5-1 in their past six games, the team’s worst skid since a 0-4-2 slump Oct. 20-Nov. 3, 2011.

*** Anders Nilsson will make his second consecutive start in goal for New York.

*** The Penguins have won three games in a row, one shy of their longest winning streak of the season. A victory tonight would give them their first three-game winning streak on the road in 2013-14.

*** New York has been outscored, 31-17, during the third period this season.

*** Islanders captain John Tavares, who is tied for fifth in the NHL scoring race, has not been held pointless in consecutive games this season.

*** The Penguins have scored at least one man-advantage goal in six of their past seven games and have the league’s most efficient power play, with a conversion rate of 25.3 percent.

*** New York defenseman Brian Strait, a former Penguin, will sit out his 19th game in a row because of an unspecified injury. Islanders goalie Evgeni Nabokov, who has a strained groin, and defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky (concussion) also are expected to miss the game.

*** The Islanders are 2-11-2 when allowing a power-play goal, 6-4-2 when they don’t give one up.

*** Penguins defenseman Matt Niskanen does not have a goal in 23 games.

*** New York has scored at least three goals in each of its eight victories, going 0-13-2 when getting two or fewer.

*** The Islanders are 0-1-1 when scoring a shorthanded goal. Their record is the same when allowing one.

*** The Penguins have won just one of the seven games in which center Sidney Crosby has been shut out this season.

*** New York coach Jack Capuano might want to ask center Casey Cizikas to avoid cracking the scoresheet tonight. The Islanders are 1-4-2 when Cizikas records a point.

*** … Tickets for the Penguins’ game against Chicago March 1 at Soldier Field will be available via www.Ticketmaster.com/NHL at 11 a.m. Dec. 11.