Columbus at New York 7pm Msg+

New York Islander Fan Central | 11/03/2008 12:11:00 PM |
Islandes website: Previews tonight's game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Columbus Dispatch: Tom Redd previews tonight's game which includes head coach Ken Hitchcock returning forward R.J. Umberger to the No. 1 center slot after spending four games as a third-line winger. Umberger will skate between Nash and Kristian Huselius. Left winger Jason Chimera will be reunited with Derick Brassard and Jake Voracek on the second line.

Raffi Torres just returned to the Blue Jackets lineup. Goaltender Pascal Leclaire (ankle) did not travel with the team to New York. F Fredrik Modin (groin) is also out for Columbus.

Columbus comes off a game they took fifty shots on goal.

NYI Fan Central Comments:
Aaron Portzline and Tom Reed provide the best newspaper coverage/blog I have seen to date in the Columbus Dispatch on any team and do a great job setting up a game for the readers.

Islanders at this point cannot worry about anything but getting back to work, finishing what they started in the first two periods against Montreal and the second half of the game against Philadelphia. The goals have to come and the players on defense have to make more plays and protect the goaltender better.

Anyone notice the players with Sunday's practice have had virtually no time off with this a four game is six day stretch? Jeff Tambellini should be well rested if he is put in the lineup as should Joey MacDonald.

Standings do not lie folks, Islanders flat out need two points here and again tomorrow and on Thursday. They simply cannot fall much further or this will become one of those lost seasons by thanksgiving that will make the last six seem like championship runs by comparision. They are playing with the kind of injuries no team should gain ground with but at this point they have to.

Upcoming schedule is simply brutal after the Atlanta game with three games against Ottawa this month.

Updated 1:45pm:
Newsday: Mark Herrmann updated the Islanders Newsday blog with some interesting comments from Columbus coach Ken Hitchcock, Jeff Tambellini's likely return to action and a second blog from former Islander captain Michael Peca on what might have been if the group stayed together from 2001-02.

Head coach Scott Gordon talks about what Tambellini must do to stay in his lineup.






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