The Islanders return home after a brief one game road trip to face the struggling Calgary Flames. One player returns to the lineup as another will be out for a while.
After being scratched in Saturday's 3-2 win vs the Blues, Ryan Strome will be in the lineup tonight. Jack Capuano said that it was more of getting Steve Bernier in in the lineup that Strome's performance. Bernier was scratched for the first seven games of the season. I do not know what Cappy has been watching. On paper Strome's numbers look good (goal, 4 assists in 7 games) but he has struggled and has been careless with the puck. This is not the first time Strome has been a healthy scratch. Back on March 14th last season, Cappy benched him. Strome responded with 3 goals and 4 assists in the final ten games of the regular season. Sitting Strome for one game is fine. If this happens again then we have a problem.
According to Newsday, defenseman Thomas Hickey will be out a month after injuring his left leg on Saturday. Hickey missed the first four games of the season after fracturing his thumb in the preseason. Hickey played well for the majority of the time this season. He already has two goals in four games. Marek Zidlicky will take his spot in the lineup. This means that we will see a healthy dose of Brian Strait. I cannot go a month watching Strait in the lineup. He is good for a turnover or two or three a night and is constantly overmatch on a nightly basis. His holding penalty against Vladimir Tarasenko was proof of that.
Even before news of Hickey's injury broke, I truly thought we would see the NHL debut of Ryan Pulock tonight. Pulock has played well in Bridgeport (2 goals, 2 assists in 6 games). I saw his second goal in person, you guess it, a rocket from the point on the power play. I know the argument against Pulock playing in that he is a right-handed shot and Hickey shoots left-handed. You do not want to have a rookie start his career playing on the opposite side. My solution, move the 38-year-old Zidlicky to the other side. If Ryan Pulock cannot beat Brian Strait for a position on this team then we have bigger problems.
Jaroslav Halak will get the start tonight. This is an important 5-game stretch for the Islanders. All five games are very winable (Calgary, Carolina, New Jersey x2, Buffalo) Their lone road game is in Newark where a large group of Isles fans will be in attendance. If this team is serious about A) getting into the playoffs and B) securing home ice these are low hanging points they need to get.
The Flames are playing their second game in as many nights. They lost 4-1 to the Rangers at the Garden last night. Calgary (2-6) has been one of the league's biggest disappointments so far. After making the postseason last season there were high expectations this season. They brought in Dougie Hamilton. But their goaltending situation has been a disaster. Opening night starter Karri Ramo was waived and Jonas Hiller hasn't been any better. Rookie Joni Ortio gets the start tonight.