This isn't quite the fourth-quarter youth movement you expected, and it's not quite what it sounds like either: The Islanders recalled promising goalie prospect (which is almost an oxymoron, but we'll go with it) Anders Nilsson yesterday, But it's on emergency basis, due to an "upper body injury" to Al Montoya.
Islanders (26-28-9, 14th/E) @ Flyers (34-21-7, 6th/E)
7 p.m. | MSG+2 (twice the plus!) | Audio: NHL - WRHU
[telco/bank/something/other] Center
Phace of the Ophosition: Broad Street Hockey
If you're expecting more info than that in today's NHL, you took a wrong turn in Red Square. (Depending on injury, maybe we'll learn more; but the Cubano is listed as day-to-day.)
Not like we expect Jack Capuano to stray from the Evgeni Nabokov well these days. [Update: indeed, same lineup tonight, same starter.] Capuano likes him his "hot hand" goalies, and Nabby has at minimum been steady, never why-we-lost-ish, and sometimes quite excellent. I bet the Flyers could use that right about now. (You wonder if it also doesn't hurt Nabby incentive to re-sign if he plays more, and sees his future replacements audition less.)
Anyway, the Islanders have two games in roughly 42 hours with tonight in Philadelphia and Saturday afternoon in Boston. It's not crazy to think Nilsson gets one of these starts, but it's no guarantee either. I expect to see him manning the Isles gate and looking smashingly Swedishly handsome in a baseball cap.
At early morning check, there were no other roster moves, so David Ullstrom and Casey Cizikas are still up, and Nino Niederreiter is the extra forward unless a swap is announced today. Speaking of Cizikas -- and Josh Bailey, who he's at least momentarily bumped to wing -- we went over Islanders faceoff stats thus far. No surprise that Marty Reasoner is the leader in that category.
I'll touch on this in one of our pilot quick-hit videos for SB Nation's YouTube channel, but the Sound Tigers signed another defenseman. That puts them at 10, which will need to be trimmed (or at least non-Clear Day filling). Something tells me we'll see some youth on the blueline at some point during the final 20 games.
Speaking of which, here's Michael Fornabaio in his Bridgeport chat yesterday (pre-Sinkewich signing):
If you're trying to sort out your own Clear Day list, by the way, here's who's eligible at the moment:
F--Cizikas, Ullstrom, DiBenedetto, Colliton, Rakhshani, Haley, Mouillierat, Howes, McNeely, Frischmon, Backman, Gillies, Marcinko, Riley, Gallant, Romano, Riendeau.
D--de Haan, Wishart, Ness, Landry, Donovan, Oleksy, Cantin, Katic
Pick 20. But, you know, assume you'll want at least six defensemen.
Sorry to inform you, Micheal Haley does not count as three players.
This is the fifth Isles-Flyers meeting of the season, but of course both teams are 2-1-1. The NHL: It's the new math!
Links
- Good Q&A from the official site with Isles prospect Scott Mayfield at DU.
- On the Flyers side, here's an interesting look from Broad Street Hockey at James van Riemsdyk -- once and future trade bait -- and his development.
- Last night Son Of Nystrom hit a Penguin in a naughty way. Or a dangerous way. Eric Nystrom on Kris Letang.
- Naturally, HWSNBN and Jeremy Roenick bickered about it. Any time hockey looks bad, Deadspin is on it.
- So Penner's wife is Zednik's ex? What is it with gals who hang out only with NHLers? (Who will be the next Carol Alt?) Keith likes this photo. Dustin Penner has had a tough year.
FIG Picks
Leave your First Islanders Goal picks here. I was a winner Tuesday with Bailey, so I'm feelin' lucky.
And now, a graphical message from ourselves...
