New beginning for Islanders, Niederreiter

They begin.

For the third straight season, the Islanders' first-round draft pick will get an immediate introduction to the NHL when the Islanders open the season against the Dallas Stars Saturday night at Nassau Coliseum. Swiss winger Nino Niederreiter will play on a line with veteran captain Doug Weight and third-year man Josh Bailey, who also made the big club out of his first training camp.

"You remember it, verbatim," Islanders TV commentator Butch Goring, who played 16 years in the league, said of a fellow's NHL debut.

"Extremely exciting," said Mike Mottau, one of four new faces on the team's rebuilt defense. Most recently with the Devils, Mottau recalled first dipping his toe into the big-league waters with the Rangers in October 2000. "In Philadelphia," he said. "I got hit pretty hard by Gino Odjick [the 6-3, 215-pound penalty-minute machine]. A pretty big boy. I remember Brian Leetch telling me, 'You don't have any more homework. This is your job.' "

Where it goes from here provides the intrigue for everybody. Last season's 34-37-11 record represented incremental progress as the team missed the playoffs a third straight year, and one prevalent feature to the season opener, Goring noted, is that "everybody is very optimistic.''

"Season opener: 'OK, game on,' '' he said. "Players have things they want to get done, goals for the year. They don't like to tell anybody, but they do."

Coach Scott Gordon acknowledged that he still is "feeling things out" regarding new personnel, especially after losing major cogs Mark Streit and Kyle Okposo to shoulder surgery. The defense pairings evident in practice Friday - Mottau/James Wisniewski, Bruno Gervais/Jack Hillen, Radek Martinek/Mark Eaton, Andrew MacDonald/Milan Jurcina - "will probably be the combos in warmups," Gordon said mysteriously, "and after that . . . "

Still, away they go. "I was in complete awe for my first game," said Goring, who started with the Los Angeles Kings before providing a final piece to the Islanders' four-time Stanley Cup champion puzzle. "Chicago Stadium against the Black Hawks. Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita. The game was very, very fast. I was in survival mode."

There will be the opening-night fanfare - "Fireworks, introductions," veteran forward Jon Sim said, "all that stuff. You breathe heavier."

Gordon, who enjoyed a short NHL tour as a goalie for the now-defunct Quebec Nordiques, understands. "There's a lot more anxiety, waiting for the puck to drop, that first faceoff, first shift,'' he said. "After five, 10 minutes, it becomes another game."

With 81 more to follow.

DP ready to go. Goalie Rick DiPietro is healthy again. "Long wait for him," Gordon said. "He's deserving. He's put a lot of time in to get to this point. You want to reward him for all the work he's put into it."

Isles will air on WRHU. With 24 hours to spare before their season opener, the Islanders Friday night announced a radio partnership with WRHU (88.7-FM), Hofstra's station.

The unusual deal will include on-air and off-air roles for Hofstra students, including during the game coverage itself alongside veteran Chris King, who will handle the play-by-play.

With Neil Best