Islanders Morning Skate: Hype Ahead Of Home Opener; Gatcomb Draws In For Drouin
Here's the latest, including lines, goaltending matchups and quotes ahad of the Islanders home opener.
EAST MEADOW, NY — After falling 4-3 to the Pittsburgh Penguins in their season-opener, the New York Islanders host the Washington Capitals for their season-opener.
Puck drop is coming your way at 7 PM ET on MSGSN.
With Jonathan Drouin suspended one game for cross-checking, Marc Gatcomb draws into the lineup. Anthony Duclair, who played on the fourth line in the opener, will skate with Bo Horvat and Emil Heineman on the top line.
“I want Gatcomb to be Gatcomb,” Islanders head coach Patrick Roy said. “I want him to be physical, solid on the wall, play well defensively, bring pucks at the net, but finish his check, things that he’s been doing really well. I think he wants to build on what he did last year, and for him is just to continue to do the same.”
Gatcomb will skate on the fourth line with Casey Cizikas and Maxim Tsyplakov on the fourth line.
“It’s a big game for us, the home opener. So we’re excited,” Gatcomb told The Elmonters ahead of his first game of the season. “I played with Tsyplakov a lot last year, so it’s good to be on the line with him and Zeeker, as well.”
Here’s what Drouin had to say about the suspension:
“Dewar gave me a cross check. I gave him a little jab. He gave me another one. I didn’t try to get him in the face, kind of my stick rises up. As soon as I got him, I was like, oh, no, not a good look, not a good spot to hit someone.”
For Duclair, Roy said that he’ll be in Drouin’s spot on the top line because he played so well with Heineman in that preseason finale vs. Philadelphia and that he deserved the chance after a strong training camp.
“We showed some good chemistry last year, early on preseason, early on in the year. But obviously, Bo is a really solid 200-foot player,” Duclair told The Elmonters. “He’s gonna be buzzing up and down the ice. So I just want to make sure I use my speed as well, and especially with Emil, too. I think we’re gonna be a really fast line.”
Ilya Sorokin will start after turning aside 24 of 28 in Thursday’s defeat.
Matthew Schaefer will get to hear the roar of the Islanders’ faithful as he skates in his first home game.
“It’s gonna be awesome. The home opener is always the best, because the fans always come out to support,” Schaefer said. “It’s your first game at home. You want to go out there and work hard. You want to get the win for the fans and especially for your team. We have a great group of guys in here, and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Bo Horvat: “Just having them behind you is always huge, and hearing their support. We obviously want to come and play hard for them too, not only for ourselves. They’re the ones buying tickets and coming every night. So we got to be ready to go for sure.”
Anthony Duclair: “It’s always a good time, the home opener. It’s the first game at home in front of our fans. The fans are juiced, and so are we. We want to get off to a good start, for sure.”
ISLANDERS LINES:
Duclair-Horvat-Heineman
Lee-Barzal-Palmieri
Shabanov-Pageau-Holmstrom
Gatcomb-Cizikas-Tsyplakov
Romanov-DeAngelo
Pelech-Pulock
Schaefer-Mayfield
Sorokin
Rittich
ISLANDERS NOTES:
Two of New York’s top rookies had their fingerprints on Thursday’s game. Matthew Schaefer recorded his first NHL point on Drouin’s first goal as an Islander, and Max Shabanov got his first NHL goal in the final minute of the second period of the game.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau boasts a three-game goal streak against Washington entering Saturday’s contest. He scored the Islanders’ lone goal in their last meeting and recorded a season-high four points against the Capitals on Nov. 29.
Anders Lee is the Islanders’ leader in goals lifetime against Washington, boasting 13 in 43 career games. Mathew Barzal tops the team in assists and points against the Capitals with 17 and 22, respectively.
Ilya Sorokin will make the start in goal for New York. The netminder took the loss on Thursday, surrendering four goals on 28 shots against the Penguins. Against the Capitals, Sorokin is 4-4-1 in nine career meetings with a 2.22 GAA and .926 SV%, allowing two goals on 35 shots in a loss in their last meeting.
OPPONENTS NOTES:
The Capitals fell 3-1 in their season opener to the Boston Bruins on Wednesday. Tom Wilson scored Washington’s only goal in the game in the third period, but red lights from Elias Lindholm and Morgan Geekie put the Bruins over the top.
Strome’s hat trick in their last meeting gave him points in all three meetings between the Islanders and Capitals last season. He totaled four goals and three assists for seven points, including a three-point game on Nov. 29. Wilson also had points in all their matchups, boasting two goals and two helpers.
Alex Ovechkin leads Washington players in career goals against the Islanders, boasting 45 in 73 games. He also broke the NHL’s all-time goals record against New York on April 6 at UBS Arena.
Logan Thompson will make the start for Washington. He took the loss against Boston allowing two goals on 21 shots. In four previous matchups with the Islanders, he is 2-1-1 with a 2.70 GAA and .904 SV%, earning the win with 20 saves on 24 shots on Nov. 29.
The stark contrast when you watch Schaefer compared to most of the rest of the team is jolting. Darche two games in knows what this season is about “Acquiring Young Talented Prospects and Picks, at the same time reducing salary and vets that don’t fit the age window” This team 2025 - 2026 just doesn’t have enough talent to compete. Nobody is untouchable on this team, Darche has to make the classic trades for prospects that are close, for vets that can help other teams chase a Cup!
It’s going to be a long brutal season. Darche just needs to keep cooking, and selling assets. Strip it down and play the young dudes. Ritchie, George, Schaefer, Jefferies. Load up at Draft and acquire as many young prospects as possible.