October means one thing and one thing only to hockey fans – the NHL gets back into FULL swing! Those around the game long enough know this is the time to shine, the time to give it everything (well, almost everything) and show your fans they are in store for a great season. No matter what some analysts say, hockey may have lower ratings than golf – but try to find anywhere without hockey on TV this week and I will give you a dollar.
Today ushers in a new era for the Islanders. Many things have changed since the last time we opened a season some 365 days ago. We have a new exuberant young coach in Scott Gordon, who is eager to showcase his “overspeed” system to the NHL and prove once and for all his game translates into the big time. We also have a number of newcomers; Doug Weight and Mark Streit signed during free agency, we have Kyle Okposo, Jack Hillen, Jeff Tambellini, Thomas Pock, Franz Nielsen, Joey MacDonald, Nate Thompson all making “debuts” of some sort for the Islanders. I know, Okposo, MacDonald, Nielsen, Hillen and Tamby have all “spent time” with the Islanders – but this is their first real opening game with the team. We also have a different kind of newcomer – Jon Sim is back in action! Even though this is the second year of his contract, he is pretty much new to the fans being he played in all of two games last season. In any event, it is shaping up to be a great night.
According to several reports, the lines tonight are as follows:
Sim – Weight – Guerin
Tambellini – Nielsen – Hunter
Bergenheim – Thompson – Okposo
Comrie – Park – Hilbert
Martinek – Witt
Hillen – Streit
Pock – Meyer
DiPietro
MacDonald
Game time: 7:05 PM
Channel (Cablevision): MSG+ 79
HD: MSG (Devils Broadcast)
I will do my best to live blog, amid some much needed relaxation from the long day I have had. Be back in a few!
