Updated: Cam Talbot will start vs. Islanders

It will be the 26-year-old's third NHL start, and obviously the first at Nassau Coliseum.

Lundqvist played all four games (3-0-1) last season against the Islanders and allowed just six goals.

We won't know head coach Alain Vigneault's reasoning until 5 p.m., when he provides his daily briefing, but it could be that he wants to:

A. Assure that Lundqvist stays healthy, and not play him back to back after missing a week with what was believed to be a lower-body injury

B: Give the Islanders a look they haven't seen. Talbot's 6-3.

C. Try to guarantee that the team plays hard defensively for 60 minutes rather than rely on Lundqvist.

D: Save Lundqvist for four straight at the Garden, starting Thursday against Buffalo.

Talbot is 1-1, losing 2-1 in Philly in his NHL debut, winning 3-2 in Detroit in OT, and has looked sharp. But Lundqvist looked in form last night as well.

Interesting that Vigneault told media post-game that he had made his mind up about who would start vs. Isles, but hadn't informed goalies, so would not reveal.

Bold move? Or risky?

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UPDATE: I had an appointment this morning and couldn't attend practice (will be at game tonight), but Newsday colleague Mark Herrmann reports from skate on LI that Lundqvist said he was healthy and that he's not always played in back to backs and there's a string of games coming up. "It might be a smart decision," he said.

So, I was somewhat right in my speculative comments above...