Thursday’s matchup against the Calgary Flames had its fair share of ups and downs in the Islanders’ 5-4 shootout loss at the Pengrowth Saddledome.  Matt Moulson tallied his first two goals in an Islander jersey while Blake Comeau and Trevor Smith both recorded their first goals of the 2009 preseason.  In the end however, it was Theoren Fleury stealing the show as he returned to NHL ice for the first time in six years as he was selected to shoot second in the shootout.  The crafty veteran came in on Islander goalie Kevin Poulin and tucked the puck past Poulin’s left pad to win the game for the Flames.

After partaking in their Training Camp at the Credit Union Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan for the past week, the Islanders will host their first “home” game tonight against the Flames.  They enter the contest against the Flames looking for their first win of the preseason with a record of 0-2-1.

The Flames have a record of 1-1 coming into the game tonight at the Credit Union Centre with their one loss coming against their Alberta rival, the Edmonton Oilers.

Hometown Boy:  Islanders’ head coach Scott Gordon has Smithtown, NY native Tony Romano scheduled to dress in the first NHL exhibition game of his young career.  Romano skated in the Islander Rookie game earlier in the week against the University of Saskatchewan scoring the first goal of the contest in a 5-3 victory.

Slow Burning Flame:  The Islanders will dress much of the toughness that is skating at the team’s camp tonight against the Flames.  Matt Martin who fought Mark Giordano on Thursday, Jeremy Reich was in two tilts in the Islanders’ Hockeyville game on Monday, Nate Thompson and Tim Jackman who both dropped the gloves in defense of their team all last season and Micheal Haley who we’ve seen will go with anyone, are all scheduled to dress tonight.  Calgary will counter with Garth Murray and his 146 penalty minutes with the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL last season.

The Alum and his Son:  Islander alum, Bob Nystrom has traveled with the Islanders to Saskatoon, to provide an alumnus presence.  He has been at the Islanders Hockeyville game in Terrace, BC and the team’s game on Thursday in Calgary.  Tonight, his son, Eric Nystrom will pull the Calgary sweater on to dress against his father’s former team.

Projected Lineups:

ISLANDERS

Forwards     
58 Jesse Joensuu
27 Greg Moore  
16 Jon Sim          
46 Matt Martin      
54 Tony Romano      
7 Trent Hunter      
17 Jeremy Reich      
11 Nate Thompson
28 Tim Jackman
58 Micheal Haley
45 Tyler Haskins
40 Joel Rechlicz

Defensemen
54 Dustin Kohn
8 Bruno Gervais
25 Andy Sutton
44 Freddy Meyer
38 Jack Hillen
42 Brett Westgarth
4 Mark Flood

Goalies
1 Mikko Koskinen
60 Kevin Poulin
35 Dwayne Roloson

FLAMES

Forwards        
40 Riley Armstrong  
16 Dustin Boyd      
62 Kris Chucko          
39 Carsen Germyn  
20 Curtis Glencross  
47 Kyle Greentree  
38 Jason Jaffray  
45 Jamie Lundmark
41 Garth Murray
23 Eric Nystrom
33 Brandon Prust
32 Colin Stuart
59 David Van der Gulik

Defensemen
67 Gord Baldwin
8 Staffan Kronwall
61 John Negrin
7 Adam Pardy
56 Matt Pelech
6 Cory Sarich
43 Keith Seabrook

Goalies
36 Matt Keetley
1 Curtis McElhinney