The Islanders are back on home ice tonight as they square off against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Isles are taking advantage of a softer portion of their schedule and while they are not firing on all cylinders they have done enough to rack up three wins in a row. The Blue Jackets come into town winners in Philadelphia last night, defeating the Flyers 4-3 in overtime. While the Blue Jackets have given the Islanders fits over the years, this is a different New York squad and the Isles did defeat the Blue Jackets 5-2 in Columbus four weeks ago.
Jaroslav Halak will tend the net again for the Islanders and Head Coach Jack Capuano announced that there will be no lineup changes to the team that defeated the Maple Leafs 3-2 this past Thursday. Calvin de Haan is still close to return and I would expect we see him the lineup next week. The question that this coaching staff will face is, who sits when de Haan is healthy?
You can make an argument that the player that should sit is Lubomir Visnovsky. His inability to stay healthy makes him look sluggish on the ice and his play has been mostly cold. You can make a case that Brian Strait deserves to be in this lineup right now. We have all been critical of Strait’s play but facts are facts, since the first of the year Straits play has been significantly improved and while there have still been some mistakes, Strait is playing with passion and despair in his game. He has been physical and I have to applaud the effort that he is putting into every shift.
You really have to look at the role players that have stepped up and supported this lineup through injuries. Brian Strait has been solid, Harry Zolnierczyk did not look out of place and you really have to commend the play of Colin McDonald. This team is all in and they have bought into what is going on here. McDonald could have totally pouted when he was sent to Bridgeport. He did not, he went there with a good attitude and was a leader for the Sound Tigers. Now that he has a second chance he is totally seizing the opportunity.
Tonight is another chance for the Islanders to grab some much needed points. It appears that nobody in the Eastern Conference playoff race want to lose. That is why games like tonight are so important. As always for more on all these hockey please follow me on twitter at @DanDanNoodles78.