New York Islanders Preseason Finale
EAST MEADOW, NY – The New York Islanders are set to wrap up their preseason schedule with a clash against the Philadelphia Flyers tonight at the Xfinity Mobile Arena. Fans can tune in to the game on ESPN+, with coverage starting at 7 PM ET. Prior to the puck drop, there will be a session at 4 PM ET featuring head coach Patrick Roy and several players discussing the team’s preparations.
Player Updates
Forward Jonathan Drouin, who was absent from Wednesday’s practice due to illness, has returned to the ice but did not participate in Thursday’s line rushes. Coach Roy expressed skepticism about Drouin’s participation after Wednesday’s skate. Despite not scoring in his three preseason appearances, Drouin has been gradually acclimating to the team. He noted,
“Initially, you might question if you’re in the right position or targeting the right man when forechecking. Over time, those thoughts fade, and you can play more freely.”
In other lineup news, forwards Bo Horvat and Kyle Palmieri were also on the ice, but they did not engage in line rushes and only participated in penalty kill drills. Starting goaltender Ilya Sorokin is aiming to play in two preseason games and will be in net for the finale after making 23 saves in a previous matchup against the New Jersey Devils.
Projected Lines
The projected lines for tonight are as follows:
- Duclair-Ritchie-Heineman
- Lee-Barzal-Tsyplakov
- Holmstrom-Pageau-Shabanov
- Cizikas-MacLean-Gatcomb
Notably absent on the ice were Horvat, Drouin, and Palmieri.
Defensive Pairings
On defense, the pairings are:
- Pelech-Pulock
- Schaefer-Mayfield
- Romanov-Boqvist
- George-DeAngelo
Sorokin will be supported by Rittich in the net. Additionally, Maxim Tsyplakov, who missed the first part of the preseason, has been practicing on the fourth line, focusing on a more direct style of play. This may allow him to better showcase his skills alongside Barzal. Calum Ritchie is also anticipated to take a spot on the fourth line tonight, providing him one final opportunity to prove himself as a potential top-six forward for the Islanders.
Power Play Units
For power plays, the Islanders’ units will consist of:
- PP1: Schaefer-Barzal-Duclair-Heineman-Lee
- PP2: Boqvist-Shabanov-Holmstrom-Ritchie-Tsyplakov
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