Preseason preview: New York Islanders close out the preseason against the New York Rangers

The New York Islanders close out their preseason schedule with a Friday night tilt against crosstown rivals New York Rangers at UBS Arena on Friday night.

The last time the Isles played the Rangers, the Islanders blew a 4-1 lead in the third period. This time around, the Isles will be looking to play a much more structured 60 minutes of hockey. So, fans should expect a hard-fought, full game from the New York Islanders.

As for the Rangers, the club still has some questions regarding its lineup. So, there could be a mix of regulars and roster hopefuls vying for the final spots in their lineup, especially considering Artemi Panarin’s injury. Here’s a look at some notes heading into Friday night’s tilt.

Notes ahead of the New York Islanders' final preseason game on Friday night against the New York Rangers

Friday night’s lineup could be a dress rehearsal for Opening Night

New York Islanders coach Patrick Roy stated earlier this week that Friday night’s lineup could resemble the one fans might see on October 10.

As such, there should be no changes to the top line. Maxim Tsyplakov could be on the second line with Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri.

However, the surprises, if any, could be in the bottom six. Fans could see Simon Holmstrom on the third line with JG Pageau and Andress Lee, while Oliver Wahlstrom is expected to get a look on the fourth line.

The full defense should hit the ice

Friday night could be the first time this preseason the Isles could dress all top six defensemen. The pairings would most likely look like this:

• Alexander Romanov-Noah Dobson

• Ryan Pulock-Adam Pelech

• Mike Reilly-Scott Mayfield

According to Roy, Dennis Cholowski, and Grant Hutton figure to be the seventh and eighth blueliners.

Varlamov to get the start

Semyon Varlamov will most likely get the start. While Marcus Hogberg could get one last preseason look, it seems the Isles’ coaching staff will be interested in seeing how to the team plays in front of Varlamov.

However, Varlamov and Hogberg could split the duties on Friday night. The key will be to see how the teams come together, especially after what Roy has called a tough and demanding training camp.