Islanders' goaltending situation muddled
Islanders goalie Kevin Poulin in net against the Devils. (Jan. 17, 2010) Credit: Jim McIsaac
This could be the definition of flux:
Of the four goalies officially listed on the Islanders' roster, one is unavailable for up to two weeks with a knee strain (call-up Nathan Lawson), one is just recovered from flu-like symptoms after more than two years of injury issues (Rick DiPietro), one is 20 years old and admittedly surprised to find himself in the NHL this soon (Kevin Poulin), and one has signaled he doesn't want to be part of the team (just-claimed veteran Evgeni Nabokov).
Islanders coach Jack Capuano, asked about the moving-target situation Monday, said, "I have no idea. [General manager Garth Snow] is handling the Nabokov thing. We haven't even talked about it with the team."
The Islanders said Snow had nothing to add.
One certainty is that DiPietro and Poulin will dress for tonight's game in Pittsburgh. As is his routine, Capuano said he will decide on a starter "late in the afternoon. I talk with the goalies, get their thoughts, talk to the assistant coaches and go from there."
The team did not practice Monday. Poulin was one of six players who participated in an optional skate, along with forwards Josh Bailey, Blake Comeau, Trevor Gillies, Rhett Rakhshani and Rob Schremp. Rakhshani recently returned to the ice after a layoff because of a concussion.
In other matters, defenseman Milan Jurcina remains out for two to four weeks with an upper-body injury, though he had resumed skating. Forward Kyle Okposo, working his way back into the lineup after four months of rehabilitating a surgically repaired shoulder, has been "pretty good" in his three-game return, Capuano said.
"Obviously, the first couple of games, he had some jump," Capuano said. "He's excited and it's great for him to be around his teammates, be around the locker room. But this is like training camp for him. So as things pick up, the wall battles, the physicality picks up, I really try to watch his ice time. Five games in seven nights is where we are, so I'm being very cautious with how we'll use him.
"He will not be on the penalty-kill right now. For us, he's more valuable on the power play. Obviously, he can play in all situations. But for now, the power play, five-on-five [on a line with Michael Grabner and Frans Nielsen], we'll work him back in."
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