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The New York Islanders are home again for the middle portion of this week’s three-game preseason stretch, this time facing a Rangers lineup that will have assistant coach Scott Arniel running out the “on the cusp” guys while Alain Vigneault watches from upstairs.
Vigneault will watch from on high tonight. Scott Arniel behind #NYR bench, with the directive to play guys on or near cut line. #Isles
— Brett Cyrgalis (@BrettCyrgalis) 4 October 2016
For the Islanders, some debuts: Cal Clutterbuck, who has had some “day to day” injuries thus far in camp, gets his first preseason game action -- nicely timed, against an opposing lineup of guys vying to make an impression.
Also, new signing Dennis Seidenberg will get his first appearance in uniform.
That’s all part of a feisty, not exactly pretty Isles lineup. Newsday’s Arthur Staple has them lined and paired like so:
Kulemin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck
Beauvillier-Nelson-Bailey
Chimera-Strome-Lee
Boulton-Gionta-Fritz
Pelech-Pulock
de Haan-Seidenberg
Leddy-Mayfield
You down wit’ O.P.P.? Because Pelech and Pulock are a pair. Left-shooting but right-comfortable Seidenberg goes on the right side with Calvin de Haan.
Of all these combos, that Nikolai Kulemin, Casey Cizikas and Clutterbuck trio looks the most likely to be a true-life combo. Kulemin would be a fit for Matt Martin’s old spot on the Best Fourth Line In Hockey(TM).
Jean-Francois Berube, the beloved third wheel and/or backup-in-waiting, is set for goal with Christopher Gibson backing up.