Anders Lee scored twice and had two assists, and David Rittich made 31 saves as the New York Islanders beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-2

Islanders forward Bo Horvat, who leads the team with 19 goals this season, left at 13:08 of the second period with a lower-body injury. His left leg got tangled up with the skate of Ducks defenseman Drew Helleson, causing him to go down awkwardly.

Sitting six games above NHL .500, the Isles are in the thick of the Metropolitan Division race and have the look of a playoff team as we head towards the holidays. Perhaps most encouraging is the fact that the Islanders are sitting in a good spot despite playing the toughest schedule in the NHL this season.

On Tuesday night, the New York Islanders and Anaheim Ducks each helped bolster the other's surprising early-season surge.

Anaheim has three players (Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier and Troy Terry) with over 30 points this season. Carlsson leads the way with 38 points (16G, 22A). Carlsson is tied with Jack Eichel and Mark Scheifele for the eighth most points in the NHL this season.

After 13 years as a Ranger, franchise legend Chris Kreider returns to Madison Square Garden with a healthy body, healthy mind and a rising start to his tenure with Anaheim. However, New York City will always be "home.

The Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders meet Saturday at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, with puck drop set for 3:30 p.m. ET.

Welcome back to another edition of NHL Predictions. Each day, our writers here at Last Word On Hockey examine the schedule and provide game-level analysis rooted in form, structure, and data.

The New York Islanders host the Tampa Bay Lightning after Anders Lee's two-goal game against the Anaheim Ducks in the Islanders' 5-2 win