The New York Islanders will start a five game road trip as they travel to Colorado to take on the Avalanche tonight. The home team has had a rough start to the season but is 1-0-2 over their last three home games and it's only a matter of time before they turn things around.

Here are my keys to the game:

1. The Islanders Struggling D - The New Yorkers are ranked dead last in the NHL with their 36 conceded goals, much like last season when they conceded the third most of all teams. Their problems can be derived to their penalty kill which has been atrocious, keeping the puck out of the net only 67.7% of the times ranking near the bottom of the league with ten conceded goals. They do have one of the better power plays in the league, but that advantage might be overridden by the Avs excellent penalty kill, ranked fourth in the league.

2. Semyon Varlamov - The Avs netminder made 49 saves in Tuesday's 3-2 shootout loss to the Sharks. He missed the first three games with a groin injury, but has since gone 1-0-2 behind a 2.22 GAA.

3. X-factor - Gabriel Landeskog had 26 goals and 65 points over 81 games last season, and is hot right now scoring three in his last four games.

Selection: This is a play on the Colorado Avalanche (10*)