Game Preview: Islanders vs Panthers

NEW YORK ISLANDERS (0-0-0) VS FLORIDA PANTHERS (0-0-0)7:30 PM | UBS ARENA | BUY TICKETSWATCH: MSGSN | MSGGO | ESPN+LISTEN: 88.7FM | 103.9FM | 1050AM
The New York Islanders open their 50th anniversary season at home against the Florida Panthers on Thursday night at UBS Arena.
The Islanders come into the opener after going 4-2-0 in preseason play and having won four consecutive preseason games. They'll face a stiff test to start the season in the Panthers, who won the Presidents' Trophy in 2021-22 with 122 points.

"It's just a fun atmosphere," Mathew Barzal said. "It's going to be exciting. Anytime you get the first game at home, it gets you pumped up. I'm just excited to see everybody there and have a packed house and get a win for our fans and get off to a good start."
The Panthers last season were one of the most potent offensive teams in the league, averaging 4.11 goals per game, which presents a big early challenge for the Islanders defense and goaltenders. With newcomer on the backend in Alexander Romanov and a young defenseman in Robin Salo making the team out of camp, new Head Coach Lane Lambert's system will face an early test.
But Lambert said Wednesday that the team's primary focus for the opener is on their own game. With the Panthers making significant offseason changes, the Islanders' opponent may look significantly different this year than it did last year.
"Everybody is feeling the same way right now, players are excited to play," Lambert said. "The biggest thing is that they're competitive guys. Throughout the league guys are competitive and they want to have competition against each other. That's probably the most exciting part, that we get to start."

OPENING NIGHT!

Thursday marks the second Islanders season at UBS Arena! To kick off the 50th anniversary celebration, all fans in attendance will receive a limited edition 50th Anniversary scarf, presented by UBS.
Stay tuned to NewYorkIslanders.com and Islanders social media channels for more updates about game night activities, guest appearances and activations this season!
Reminder: Two-way service is now available at the LIRR's Elmont-UBS Arena station. See here for more details.

ISLANDERS NOTES

• The Islanders were 4-2-0 in the preseason, closing out with four consecutive wins after two losses in their first two games. Josh Bailey led the team in points with five (1G, 4A) across four games.
  - Alexander Romanov plays his first regular season game in an Islander uniform Thursday. Romanov was acquired from the Montreal Canadiens at the NHL Draft for the 13th overall pick and skated alongside Noah Dobson in training camp and preseason. Romanov recorded one assist in five preseason games, and received significant time on the penalty kill.
  - Robin Salo made the NHL roster out of training camp for the first time this year. Salo, the Islanders' 2017 second-round pick, played 21 NHL games last year and put up five points (1G, 4A). In preseason, Salo led the second power play unit, and played on a pair with Scott Mayfield. Salo scored the Islanders' first goal of the preseason against the Rangers on Sept. 26.
  - Nikita Soshnikov makes his Islanders regular season debut Thursday. Soshnikov played his last NHL game in 2018 for the St. Louis Blues and was in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization for three seasons prior to that. Now, after three seasons in the KHL, Soshnikov returns to the NHL with the Islanders, and he made the opening night roster after a strong camp. Soshnikov scored a goal in preseason against the New Jersey Devils on Sept. 27, and also brings penalty killing and forechecking ability.
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- The Islanders converted on four power play opportunities across the six preseason games. Last season, the Islanders' power play was fourth in the league from Feb. 1, converting 26.6 percent of their opportunities over that span. Lambert experimented with a number of potential combinations across the two power play units in training camp, and new personnel like Salo are expected to play a major role.
- Thursday marks Lambert's first official game as Islanders Head Coach. Lambert had previously served as an Associate Coach for four years under Barry Trotz and filled in as Interim Head Coach for three games last season.

PANTHERS NOTES

• The Panthers made perhaps the biggest trade of the offseason, moving out 115-point scorer Jonathan Huberdeau and defenseman MacKenzie Weegar in a deal for Calgary Flames star Matthew Tkachuk. Tkachuk scored 104 points (42G, 62A) last season for the Flames, eighth in the league in scoring. Per FloridaPanthers.com's Jameson Olive, Tkachuk is likely to play with Sam Bennett and Rudolfs Balcers.
  - Last season, the Panthers won the Presidents' Trophy, accumulating 122 points. The Panthers went on to lose in the second round of the playoffs to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
  - The Panthers also hired a new coach, letting go of Interim Head Coach and Jack Adams finalist Andrew Brunette, and hiring Paul Maurice. Maurice coached the Winnipeg Jets from 2014 until his resignation in December 2021. He also coached the Carolina Hurricanes from 2008-2011, the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2006-2008, and the Hartford Whalers/Hurricanes from 1995-2003.
  - Top center Aleksander Barkov scored 88 points (39G, 49A) in 67 games in the 2021-22 season, and won the Selke Trophy in 2020-21 for his outstanding two-way play. Barkov is expected to play with Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe to start the year
  - Maurice announced Sergei Bobrovsky will start in goal for the opener. Bobrovsky won two Vezina Trophies as a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2013 and 2017, and has been with the Panthers since 2019-20. Last season, Bobrovsky posted a 2.67 GAA and a .913 save percentage, his best season as a Panther.