New York Islanders Vs Los Angeles Kings: Pre-Game Report

Eyes On Isles Pregame Report

Tonight , the New York Islanders (8-16-5, 21 Points) visit the Los Angeles Kings (18-7-4, 40 Points) in game no. 30 of the 2013-14 NHL season. Here’s what you need to know before puck drop…

Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA

When: Saturday, December 7th, 2013, 10:30PM

TV: MSG+ (Howie Rose, Butch Goring)

Radio: 88.7 FM WRHU, 103.9 FM WRCN (Chris King)

Tonight, the Isles continue their Western road swing, as they travel to LA to take on the Kings.

Frankly, we’re running out of things to say here. Why is Jack Capuano still here?  Why, if Peter Laviolette is available and interested, has Garth Snow not pulled the trigger? The Houston Texans lost 11 straight before they fired their coach. 11 games in a row is close to 75% of the NFL season. If you go by that logic, the Isles would have to lose the next 60 games in a row. At this point, that does not seem out of the question. It is however, highly unlikely.

Why, after 8 straight winless games has there been no significant move made to improve the goaltending or defense on this team? The rumors are starting to fly. The Islanders are talking trade. They are interested in Ryan Miller or Jonas Hiller or Chico Resch, anyone basically. Is Jamie McLennan or Danny Lorenz available? Seriously, not one of the 3 goaltending choices the Islanders have made this season has really stood out. We are well aware of the defensive issues. Hopefully Brian Strait and Lubomir Visnovsky will soon return.

This just in, Brock Nelson has been released from the “Cappy Clinker”! The team has not exactly been a scoring machine. So, it should come as no surprise that Nelson will replace Peter Regin this evening. Anything to get that missing spark. Kevin Poulin will also get a chance to reclaim his spot as top netminder, as he takes the place of Anders Nilsson.

The Isles do get somewhat of a break in that the Kings Power Play is ranked 22nd in the league. Perhaps a nice time for their beleaguered PK unit to get back on track.

The puck drops at 1030PM EST tonight. Hopefully by the time most of us wake up tomorrow, we will have experienced a December miracle. A win!

What They’re Saying

“We played really well against LA when they came (to Long Island). We should have won that game being up heading into the third.”

-Islanders Forward Matt Martin on the Nov 14 game against the Kings.

“It doesn’t matter who you’re playing. All you’re looking for is really hard work, because you’re not going to be perfect. If you’re perfect, then there would be three or four teams that never lose. It’s just the way it works.”

-Los Angeles Kings Head Coach Darryl Sutter

Quick Hitters

• The Kings are 9-1-14 in their last 14 games
• The Islanders have not played in Los Angeles since 11/13/10; a 5-1 defeat.
• The Isles and Kings have virtually the same Goals For.
• There is a difference of nearly 40 in Goals Against
• The Kings will be wearing their vintage Blue & Gold jerseys this evening.
• Andrew MacDonald (1g/2a) and Kyle Okposo (2g/2a) are riding three-game point streaks

Projected Lineup

26 Thomas Vanek– 91 John Tavares – 21 Kyle Okposo
40 Michael Grabner – 51 Frans Nielsen – 12 Josh Bailey
96 Pierre-Marc Bouchard – 29 Brock Nelson – 15 Cal Clutterbuck
17 Matt Martin – 53 Casey Cizikas – 13 Colin McDonald

47 MacDonald – 3 Hamonic
55 Ness – 7 Carkner
44  De Haan – 14 Hickey

Scratches: 4 Radek Martinek, 16 Peter Regin, 36 Eric Boulton

Injured Reserve: 11 Visnovsky, 20 Nabokov, 37 Strait

60 Kevin Poulin

45 Anders Nilsson