The first group got on the ice at Nassau Coliseum at 8:45 this morning. The groups have changed from previous sessions in preparation for the preseason games this weekend against the Boston Bruins and New Jersey Devils, just like Islanders Head Coach Jack Capuano alluded to earlier this week.

After the second session Capuano is expected to address the media, where he will divulge which group is headed to Boston. Look for an update later in the day.

First Group:

Forwards Frans Nielsen John Tavares Matt Moulson Kyle Okposo Michael Grabner Ryan Strome Nino Niederreiter Matt Martin Marty Reasoner Tim Wallace Casey Cizikas Sean Backman Tony Romano Brett Gallant

Defensemen Mark Streit Andrew MacDonald Mark Eaton Milan Jurcina Aaron Ness Travis Hamonic Benn Olson Anton Klementyev Goalies Evgeni Nabokov Al Montoya Kevin Poulin

Compared to their recent skates, this one was one of their less strenuous days, which permitted Andrew MacDonald (hip surgery) and Marty Reasoner (tweaked knee) to ease back into practice.

“It was kind of one of the easier practices today, you saw out there with the flow and whatnot, a lot of passing and flow drills,” MacDonald said. “So it’s just a progression back into what they’ve been doing.”

Both players will take their recovery day-by-day and will work with the trainers and coaches to make sure they’re staying on target.

“I felt pretty good,” Reasoner said of his first on-ice session since last Friday. “I was getting pretty anxious to get back into it. I was kind of shaking off the cobwebs a little bit. It was nice to get back with the guys and get on the ice and feel like you’re actually doing something here.”

MacDonald said, “I haven’t been skating full-fledged in like eight days, so I felt good considering. I felt a little heavy considering I was off for so long, but I felt strong, I felt good. My timing was off a little bit, but that will come.”
 
Neither player was sure when they’d see some preseason game action, but both hope to get into at least one before the regular seasons starts.