Islanders vs. Sharks: That’s Micheal Haley’s music

The New York Islanders host the defending Campbell Western Conference champion San Jose Sharks Tuesday night as part of the second game in a five-game homestand in Brooklyn.

At the morning skate, the Isles were expected to dress the same lineup, including Jaroslav Halak as starter in goal, though Casey Cizikas was a question mark. Cizikas pronounced himself ready to go (hey, certainly he was well enough to HOLD PUPPIES yesterday), but that’s up to team management and medical staff.

Coach Jack Capuano said it’s a gametime decision, so...well, game’s almost here. If lines from the latter half of last game stand, we’ll see something like:

Andrew Ladd -- John Tavares -- Josh Bailey
Anders Lee -- Brock Nelson -- Jason Chimera
Anthony Beauvillier -- Alan Quine -- Ryan Strome
Nikolay Kulemin -- Casey Cizikas -- Cal Clutterbuck

On the other side, the Sharks took their first loss of the season last night, 7-4(!) at Madison Square Garden, so it is only righteous and just that they suffer a similarly thorough loss tonight.

Whether they do or not, they’ll have an old friend along for the ride: Ex-Islander and Sound Tiger Micheal Haley is in the Sharks lineup.

Haley, of course, had a short but memorable stint with the Isles -- we had some commenters crying that the team’s soul was now gone once Haley was allowed to leave, because Internet — and we will happily use his return as one of many excuses we have to relive this epic night.

Haley played 16 games with the Sharks last season, his highest in the NHL since suiting up for 27 with the Isles in 2010-11.

That’s not the only change the Sharks are making for the second-half of this back-to-back: Goalie Aaron Dell, a former North Dakota teammate of Brock Nelson’s, will get his first NHL start. Hopefully that quirky ol’ Barclays Center layout throws him off his angles.

How We Reckon You’ll Watch or Listen

In addition to the NHL’s wonderful and bug-free nhl.tv, the game is available:

• TV: MSG+, CSN Bay Area
• Radio: AM970 The Answer, LI News 103.9FM, 88.7FM WRHU

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