Islanders vs. Penguins: 3 things you need to know
The Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders will meet for the first of five clashes this season Saturday.
The offseason was kind to both teams as they strengthened their lineups by means of free agency and trades. The Penguins and Islanders faced off against each other four times last season, with three of those contests decided by one goal. Saturday's matchup shouldn't stray from that trend.
Here are three things you need to know:
No Grabovski
In an unfortunate scene Thursday night, Mikhail Grabovski turned into a hit from the largest man in the league - San Jose Sharks forward John Scott - and had to be helped off the ice by trainers.
Grabovski has already been ruled for the game against the Penguins. He has three points in four games with the Islanders this season.
Without Grabovski in the lineup, the Islanders will re-tool their line of Ryan Strome (4 points) and Brock Nelson (7 points).
Dupuis making strides
After a scary incident Thursday night where Pascal Dupuis was hit by a slapshot in the back of his neck, the forward skated Friday.
He likely won't be ready to go for the next few games as a precaution and he has not begun to practice with the team. With Dupuis out of the lineup, Brandon Sutter and Evgeni Malkin will likely have Blake Comeau on their line.
Dupuis entered the season hoping for a fresh slate after playing only 39 games last year and undergoing knee surgery.
Update: Dupuis participated in the Penguins' morning skate and will be a game-time decision.
The heat will be on
Both the Islanders and Penguins play a fast-paced game and have their token defensive players on guard for the counter-attack.
Johnny Boychuk has been racking up the points along with Nick Leddy who both came to the Islanders through late trades before the beginning of the season. The defensemen might turn out to be a turning point for the Islanders who desperately needed bodies at that position.
The Penguins (2-1-0) are coming off their first loss of the season to the Dallas Stars, while the Islanders have not lost this season, with a perfect record of 4-0-0.