New York Islanders Welcome Kyle Okposo Back Home

It’s going to feel weird seeing Kyle Okposo skating at the Barclays Center while wearing an opposing jersey. The former New York Islanders player is back in Brooklyn as the Isles look to for another two points.

It’s the second encounter of Eastern bottom dwellers in the last week. The first encounter saw the New York Islanders drop a point as Kyle Okposo and his Buffalo Sabers won in overtime.

Two points is all that separates these two teams. The Islanders and their 30 points are right there at the bottom of the East with the Sabres just above the with 32. A win tonight could vault the Islanders out of the basement. Could.

Thankfully, the goaltender that gives the Islanders the best possibility to win the game is going to be in nets again tonight. And that’s good ol’ Thomas Greiss.

For the second game in a row, Greiss get’s the start between the pipes. This off the back of a 48 save clinic against the Boston Bruins. Not to mention the fact that in his last five games Greiss holds a 4-1-0 record with a .920 SV% and a 2.60 GAA.

Must Read: Three Stars Against Boston

We’re used to seeing Greiss get a taste before being relegated to the backup spot in favor of Jaroslav Halak for seemingly arbitrary reasons like he gets paid more so he must be better. But tonight, logic prevails!

Money Line

More from Eyes On Isles

• Islanders key to success: Load management with goalies
• Islanders Zdeno Chara trending in the right direction
• Islanders: Semyon Varlamov Deserves Benefit of the Doubt
• Islanders Ilya Sorokin becoming number one goalie
• Islanders Zach Parise Was Quiet in Return to Minnesota

New York Islanders -145/+125 Buffalo Sabres

Being the home team already gives the Islanders a good chance to win, with a 9-7-4 record at the Barclays Center. Then add the 5-5-5 traveling record for the visiting Buffalo Sabres, and the fact that the Islanders have a hot goalie in the crease and that -145 looks pretty good, if not a bit low.

The guy on the other side of the ice, Robin Lehner, is no slouch, going 2-2-1 in his last five with a .925 SV% and a similar 2.60 GAA. This game should have a bit of everything. Decent goaltending, a few goals, and a heartwarming narrative.

Regardless of who’s in net, or who’s the favorite. All of the attention is going to be heaped onto Kyle Okposo and the New York Islanders PR team.

How he’s going to feel coming back to an organization that he seemingly loved dearly, but didn’t reciprocate back. And how said organization is going to commemorate the event.

New York Islanders Lineup:

Lee-Tavares-Bailey                      Leddy-Hamonic
Prince-Nelson-Beauvillier         Hickey-Boychuk
Kulemin-Strome-Clutterbuck  de Haan-Seidenberg
Ladd-Quine-Chimera                 Greiss (Halak)

Buffalo Sabres Lineup:

Moulson-Eichel-Okposo                 McCabe-Ristolainen
Foligno-O’Reilly-Reinhart               Kulikov-Bogosian
Kane-Larsson-Gionta                      Georges-Falk
Deslauriers-Grant-Girgensons      Lehner (Nilsson)

Next: An X-Mas Gift for Garth and Jack

Where to Catch the Game:

Venue: 7 p.m. – Barclays Center 
TV: MSG+
Radio: WCBS 880AM, 88.7FM WRHU