Morning Skate: Final Tune-up vs. Rangers, Lines, How to Watch & More

It’s Saturday, which means the New York Islanders are concluding their pre-season plan with a nightcap against their rivals, the New York Rangers. Puck Drop is scheduled for 7pm at the UBS Arena.

“This is the final fine-tuning,” New York Islanders captain Anders Lee said after Saturday morning’s skating session. “It’s as close as it gets and just a good way to wrap things up, wrap up camp and preseason and get as close as we can to where we want to be.”

Head coach Lane Lambert wants to see more of what he has in the final game of preseason.

“We just want to keep seeing more of what we were [seeing], working on concepts we’ve been working on. So, you know, that’s basically the focus,” Lambert said. “Obviously it’s the last exhibition game and both teams know it’s a Rangers-Islanders game.”

“So that’s always exciting.”

While the NHL roster is about to be finalized, that last game of the preseason is still important.

“I think it’s another opportunity for us to come together as a team and guys to continue fighting for different seasons and different spots,” said veteran defenseman Ryan Pulock. “I think it’s a good test.”

“They have one game left to really try to prepare and get the team ready for Thursday.”

FORWARD LINES:

Lee-Nelson-Beauvillier
Bellows-Pageau-Bailey
Parise-Barzal-Palmieri
Martin-Cizikas-Johnston

*Soshnikov, Räty were extras

DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS:

Pelech-Pulock
Romanov-Dobson
Salo-Aho

GOALKEEPER:

Sorokin
Varlamov

READ MORE: Nikita Soshnikov brings the missing element to the islanders

The New York Rangers did not run on Saturday morning.

STAFF UPDATES:

Casey Cizikas was back on the ice Saturday morning competing in line rushes after missing the final days of training camp. Head coach Lane Lambert had no news regarding forwards Oliver Wahlstrom and Cal Clutterbuck and defenseman Scott Mayfield.

Cal Clutterbuck and Scott Mayfield didn’t skate.

Oliver Wahlstrom was also on the ice, but not for the main morning skate. He then skated with Cole Bardreau, Otto Koivula, Grant Hutton, Paul LaDue and Simon Holmstrom along with Nikita Soshnikov and Aatu Räty who had skated with the main group.

HOW TO SEE:

Today’s New York Islanders can be found on MSGSN, formerly MSG+. On the radio scale, the game can be heard on 1050 AM ESPN, 88.7 FM WRHU and 103.9 FM LI News Radio.