About the Islanders - 10-25-11
A preview of the Islanders.
When and where: 7 p.m., EDT; Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
TV: Root Sports, MSG Plus.
Record: 3-3-0, 6 points. The Islanders are in 11th place in the Eastern Conference and fifth place in the Atlantic Division.
Leading Scorer: John Tavares, 10 points (6 goals, 4 assists).
Last Game: 4-2 road loss to the Panthers, Saturday. Tavares and captain Mark Steit (right) each had a goal and an assist for the Islanders.
Last Game against the Penguins: 4-3 home shootout loss, April 8. Mike Rupp had a regulation goal and an assist for the Penguins.
Islanders Player We Would Bet Money On Scoring: Tavares. He has 10 points in 10 career games against the Penguins.
Ex-Penguins on the Islanders: Mark Eaton, D; Matt Moulson, LW (Moulson was a Penguins draft pick but never played for the organization); Garth Snow, general manager.
Ex-Islanders on the Penguins: Arron Asham, RW; Dan Bylsma, head coach; Tom Fitzgerald, assistant to the general manager; Bill Guerin, player development coach; Richard Park, C.
Useless Islanders Trivia Vaguely Related to the Penguins: Park (4 in 2007-08) is one of four one-time Penguins who have led the Islanders in shorthanded goals in a single season. The others are Tom Chorske (4 in 1997-98), Zigmund Palffy (2 in 1998-99 and 4 in 1996-97) and Bryan Trottier (5 in 1984-85).
Best Islanders Video We Could Find: There probably aren't too many other players in the NHL more electric than New York's Michael Grabner:
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Probable goaltenders: Marc-Andre Fleury (5-2-0, 2.13 GAA, .926 SV%) for the Penguins. The Islanders have not announced if Rick DiPietro (8-14-4, 3.44 GAA, .886 SV%), Al Montoya (2-2-0, 2.01 GAA, .930 SV%) or Evgeni Nabokov (1-1-0, 2.53 GAA, .921 SV%) will start.
Injuries: For the Penguins, center Evgeni Malkin (right knee) is day to day. Defenseman Zbynek Michalek (finger) is out. Defensemen Roberto Bortuzzo (knee), Boris Valabik (knee), Brian Strait (arm), centers Sidney Crosby (concussion), Tyler Kennedy (concussion) and right winger Nick Petersen (concussion) are on injured reserve. For the Islanders, goaltender Rick DiPietro (concussion) and defenseman Milan Jurcina (shoulder) are day to day. Defenseman Mark Katic (shoulder), right winger Nino Niederreiter (groin) and right winger Rhett Rakhshani (concussion) are on injured reserve.
Potential lines and defensive pairings: The Penguins' primary lines and defensive pairings in practice yesterday were:
Steve Sullivan - Evgeni Malkin - James Neal
Chris Kunitz - Jordan Staal - Pascal Dupuis
Matt Cooke - Richard Park - Arron Asham
Steve MacIntyre - Joe Vitale - Mark Letestu
Dustin Jeffrey - Sidney Crosby - Craig Adams
Paul Martin - Kris Letang
Brooks Orpik - Deryk Engelland
Matt Niskanen - Ben Lovejoy
The Islanders' primary lines and defensive pairings against the Panthers Saturday were
Matt Moulson - John Tavares - P.A. Parenteau
Kyle Okposo - Frans Nielsen - Michael Grabner
Blake Comeau - Josh Bailey - Matt Martin
Jay Pandolfo - Marty Reasoner - Trevor Gillies
Mark Streit - Steve Staios
Andrew MacDonald - Travis Hamonic
Mike Mottau - Mark Eaton
Notes:
-We'll see Michalek in four to six weeks.
-Cooke has 98 career points with the Penguins.
-Neal has 146 career points.
-Park has 96 career goals.
-DiPietro could return to the lineup tonight after nursing a concussion.
-The Islanders are downplaying talk of a rivalry with the Penguins.
-Islanders right winger Brian Rolston missed Saturday's game to attend to the birth of his fourth child.
-Steve Mears will handle the play-by-play duties on the Penguins Radio Network. Mike Lange is attending to a non-serious family matter.
-Our live blog begins at approximately 7 p.m. Please tune in.
(Photo: Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)