Islanders need to get on winning streak with tough Vegas up next

Patrick Roy was unequivocal.

What is going to take place at T-Mobile Arena against the NHL-best Golden Knights over the course of two-and-a-half-hours Thursday night is not a measuring stick for his Islanders.

Why?

“It sucks what I’m going to say but we need that winning streak,” Roy said following an hour-long practice at Northwell Health Ice Center Tuesday morning.

Despite Sunday’s 5-4 overtime win in Boston against the Bruins Sunday night, the Islanders (15-18-7, 37 points) are still in eighth place in the Metropolitan Division and 15th out of 16 in the Eastern Conference.

Yet, they trail Tampa Bay and Montreal by five and four points, respectively, for the East’s two Wild Card spots. And for a team that has only had two two-game winning streaks (Nov. 5-7 and Dec. 7-8) this season, the opportunity awaiting the Islanders in Vegas and Saturday night against Utah Hockey Club is a chance to build upon what they accomplished at the TD Garden.

The Islanders outshot (37-30) and out-attempted (84-55) the Bruins, and, according to data culled by NaturalStatTrick.com, finished with more scoring chances for (26-19) and more high-danger chances for (11-7).

“It was a good performance by us Sunday, especially against a really good team,” Anthony Duclair said. “We’re going to face one of the best teams in the West in Vegas and have to make sure we play the same game.”

Which may be easier said than done since Vegas is a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.

Ahead of Tuesday night’s match in San Jose against the Sharks, the Golden Knights have the most points in the league (57) and are tied for the league lead in wins (27). Their nine regulation losses are the fewest in the NHL.

Offensively, their 138 goals are fourth-most in the league and their 3.54 goals-per-game average ranks third. Defensively, Vegas’ 104 goals allowed is tied for third-fewest in the NHL, and its 2.67 goals against per game average is sixth-fewest.

Oh, did we forget to mention that the Golden Knights’ 17-4-0 mark on home ice is best in the league?

Vegas is going to be a step up in weight class from the third-in-the-Atlantic-Division Bruins.

“Vegas,” Casey Cizikas began, “plays hard defensively. Really good at home. They also have that offense to back it up. It’s going to be a hard, physical game. They have some big bodies over there that like to throw it around. Going in with that mindset, you know it’s going to be physical, it’s going to be hard.”

For Roy, it's a chance to earn another precious two points.

 "I look at it [as an opportunity] to continue to improve as a team and continue to . . . because measuring stick is, if you win the game, you say, ‘Okay, we’re there.’ I don’t want to think that way," said Roy. "If we win this game, I want to win the next game."

Notes & quotes: Grant Hutton was recalled from AHL Bridgeport and skated as the seventh defenseman during practice  . . .  Hudson Fasching did not practice and he will not join the team on the road trip. Fasching left the win over the Bruins in the third period following a hit by Mark Kastelic. He is day-to-day, as are Isaiah George (upper-body) and Simon Holmstrom (upper-body). Like Fasching, George and Holmstrom will not make the road trip . . . Defenseman Mike Reilly has been placed on LTIR, a team spokesperson said.