Islanders Gameday: Dancing around the obvious

Grabner. Moulson. Boyes. Hamonic. Streit. Okposo. Aucoin. Ullstrom. Martin. I know I just named half the team. I also just named every Islanders that has scored a goal so far this season. Conspicuously absent from this list is one John Tavares.

This is actually the longest into a season Tavares has gone without scoring a goal, but based on his play, and his 1+ point per game pace, there's no need to start worrying. Tavares is 7-5-12 in 12 career games vs. the Bruins, so there is a good chance we can see him finally light the lamp tonight.

Islanders (2-1-0, 5th/E,) @ Bruins (2-0-1, 4th/E)
7 p.m. EDT | MSG+ | Audio: NHL - WRHU
T(rust in) D(iPietro) Garden
Where Everybody Knows Your Name: Stanley Cup of Chowder

The Islanders come into Boston on a modest two game winning streak in which they're averaging 5.5 goals per game. To be scoring that much without the benefit of a Tavares goal shows how balanced the offense has been so far this year. The Isles look to stay hot tonight, but the Bruins are hotter, having not lost a game in regulation yet this season.

Tuukka Rask was the first player off the ice at practice this morning for the Bruins, so you can assume he'll get the call in net for Boston tonight. Dennis Seidenberg is a game-time decision on the blue line. B's coach Claude Julien said he's more optimistic than pessimistic that Seidenberg will be dressing tonight.

Speaking of Julien, after practice he told reporters that " Our team respects the NY Islanders because we know what they have." Not exactly sure what he thinks the Islanders have, but it's good to know it's something to be respected for.

As for your New York Islanders, unless you just woke up from a late night bender (and I think someone affiliated with this site may have), you know that Rick DiPietro is getting the start in net tonight. My guess is that management asked him which game of the back-to-backs he'd rather play, and he obviously chose the game in his home state.

With that said, DiPietro is supposedly healthy and ready to go. I know it's a story we've heard countless times, but it's a new season and we should probably give DiPietro the benefit of the doubt. How long that benefit lasts though is anybody's guess.

Not so encouraging stat of the day:

Rick DiPietro has lost his last 5 starts in Boston. To make matters worse, the only time he played the Bruins last year, he got pulled after 1 period and 3 goals allowed.

But keep telling yourself...it's a new season.

Channeling my Inner Perez Hilton:

Not making too much of a big deal about this, but it will be interesting to see if Matt Martin lays a massive body check on Tyler Seguin for trying to mess with Matney (that's how you do that right, you combine their first names?)

FIG Newtons: Leave 'em here by 6:59 pm. You've got to be in it to win it.