Islanders/NHL News: Isles homestand begins with winless Sabres

By losing to Minnesota last night, 2-1, the Sabres tied a franchise record by going winless in their first seven games (0-6-1). They are at the Coliseum tonight, no doubt in either an ornery or a resigned mood.

How will the Isles deal with their reeling guests tonight? Will they dress a fighter in prep for silliness, or focus on their own ills to exploit a slumping upstate neighbor?

Coach Jack Capuano explained the mix of lines at yesterday's practice, with specific mention of Pierre-Marc Bouchard likely returning to a top-six role:

Just wanted to look at a few different things [regarding line shuffling]. Maybe give Bouchard a chance at some extra minutes, and see how he produces. … We've talked, he's gotta give us more if he wants to play. He wants the opportunity, we'll give him an opportunity and see where it goes.

[via Isles Blog video from post-practice scrum]

Read on:

• The Isles talk about what they need to do on this homestand. [Isles]
• More from Frans Nielsen about that, and Pierre-Marc Bouchard on getting settled. [Newsday]
  
• A supermarket tabloid would probably splash some headline about Matt Moulson being a bad father or husband or something, but his family pushed him to leave the hospital and join his team after his second son was born. [Newsday]
• John Tavares assures you that when silly "face of NY sports" things are written, he'll stick to the cliches for his response. [Isles Blog]
• A look at Bridgeport's lost weekend. [The Checking Line] Fornabaio had more notes from the second loss, against Springfield. [Soundin' Off]
• The Butch Goring Show talks about the two losses last weekend and what's needed.
• Some Must Follow Twitter accounts relating to the Isles. [THW]
  
• FIG Picks: Leave your First Islanders Goal picks for tonight's game here.

Elsewhere

• The ever-elusive challenge: How to forecast NHL goaltending performance - SBNation.com
• Power rankings: Kevin Allen charitably ranks the Isles 17th.
• Barry Trotz happily buries Paul Gaustad in his own zone: Trotz enters the Corsi debate | Nashville Predators
• The Oilers are bad and fans are frustrated, but they're probably not this bad so don't be that frustrated. [Oilers Nation]
• That said, the Oilers scratched Nail Yakupov again and dressed an awful fourth line, which faced the Caps' top lines and lost badly. Copper & Blue has some questions.
• This is Mike Green trying to check Jesse Joensuu and missing. [RMNB GIF]
  
• A really silly Maclean's article about fighting is taken apart by Quisp.
• Arron Asham and Martin Biron were placed on waivers, which should really fix all that ails the Smurfs.
  

More from Lighthouse Hockey:

• In Which Radek Martinek Returns to Scare New York Islanders Fans, or Players
• NHL Power Rankings Season Begins: Western Conference welcomes non-lockout schedule
• Islanders News: Digesting the first two regulation losses; Bridgeport power(less)
• Recap - Isles with back to back clunkers in 3-2 loss to Predators
• Gameday Preview: New York Islanders looking to shape up vs. offense-starved Nashville Predators