GAME DAY: Canucks @ Islanders

After a fairly successful homestand that saw Roberto Luongo re-establish himself as a goaltending force in the NHL, the Vancouver Canucks head out on a 4 game road swing to see if they can re-establish something else they have enjoyed over the last few years: an ability to dominate Eastern teams. They certainly didn't dominate the shot clock Saturday against the Leafs, but they didnt spend all night on defense either. This struggling Islanders team however may be just the thing they need to get geared up for the big matchup Wednesday afternoon at MSG against Markus Naslund and the Rangers. The Islanders are once again floundering, but are coming off back to back wins against the struggling Ottawa Senators. They have yet to win 3 in a row this season so you know they will be pushing hard in this one. The Canucks have won their last 2 on the road, the most recent one the Halloween shootout shocker against the Ducks. Pavol Demitra's return to the lineup Saturday was huge as he set up 3 of the 4 Canucks goals, and Luongo as mentioned was strong when he needed to be. He is 4-0-1 in his last 5 with a 0.59 GAA. The Islanders have yet to win back to back at home this year, and may be starting Joey McDonald tonight, who has never faced the Canucks in his career. The Isles have a good PK, ranked 9th in the league, but their PP is 26th, so an improving Canucks PK should be able to handle them. Doug Weight has been everything the Islanders had hoped when they brought him over in the offseason, leading the team with 15 points, but apart from Trent Hunter, there isn't much else to speak of on this Islanders squad. There are some Canucks connections in the lineup, as former Nucks richard Park and Mike Sillinger (he is on IR, though) are in the lineup, as well as Jeff Tambellini, son of former Asst. GM Steve Tambellini. With G Rick DiPietro on IR once again, this one could be easy as long as the Canucks come out strong, stay focused and play their style of road game. They need to address the task at hand before they start thinking ahead to Wednesday. The game goes tonight at 4pm PST on Sportsnet with John Shorthouse and John Garrett, and Joey Kenward and Tommy Larscheid have the call on the Team 1040 as always.

As a kid I was also a big Islanders fan (a childhood friend's dad played junior hockey in Kamloops with legendary Islander tough guy and Stanley Cup OT hero Bobby Nystrom). My first Canucks game was against the Islanders in 1977, and after the game we got to meet the Islanders in the dressing room. I think Nystrom had a hat trick in that game. They certainly aren't the team that dominated the league for a number of years back then, but they still have a special place in my love for hockey.