Islanders vs. Blackhawks Lineup: Jaroslav Halak to miss Barclays opener

Jaroslav Halak will miss the New York Islanders first-ever regular season game at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Coach Jack Capuano confirmed a decision that appeared increasingly likely as the Islanders' starting goalie nursed an unspecified injury through the last two weeks of training camp. Thomas Greiss, a free agent signing from the Pittsburgh Penguins, will start while preseason waiver claim J-F Berube will dress as backup.

Capuano did say that Halak is "day to day," but given Halak's words and the caution the Isles have used over the past week, expect Greiss to carry the bulk of the Islanders three games in four nights to open 2015-16. That includes back-to-back nights against the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks.

The rest of the Isles lineup is expected to be as it was during the final days of camp:

Anders Lee - John Tavares - Ryan Strome
Brock Nelson - Mikhail Grabovski - Nikolay Kulemin
Josh Bailey - Frans Nielsen - Kyle Okposo
Matt Martin - Casey Cizikas - Cal Clutterbuck

Nick Leddy - Johnny Boychuk
Calvin de Haan - Travis Hamonic
Brian Strait - Marek Zidlicky

The chief changes there from last season are a new look to the first line, Grabovkski's move back to center -- where he is most comfortable, and can be their best faceoff taker -- and the third pairing which is missing the injured Thomas Hickey and the departed Lubomir Visnovsky.