Forward Brett Gallant will become the latest player to make his NHL debut for the New York Islanders when they host the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Gallant was recalled Monday from the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the American Hockey League, where he had one goal, one assist and 245 penalty minutes in 56 games this season.
Gallant, 25, has played the past four seasons in Bridgeport after being signed as an undrafted free agent. He joins forwards Ryan Strome, John Persson, Johan Sundstrom and Mike Halmo, and defensemen Kevin Czuczman and Scott Mayfield, as Islanders to make their NHL debut during the 2013-14 season. Forward Brock Nelson made his regular-season debut this season after playing one game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season.
Islanders coach Jack Capuano confirmed goalie Anders Nilsson would make his second consecutive start. Nilsson made 29 saves in a 4-0 loss Sunday to the Columbus Blue Jackets which snapped a personal three-game winning streak.
The Senators, who remain mathematically alive in the Stanley Cup Playoff race, will counter with goalie Craig Anderson. One more point lost by the Senators or gained by the Columbus Blue Jackets, who host the Phoenix Coyotes on Tuesday, will eliminate Ottawa.
Senators forward Colin Greening, who has missed the past five games with a lower-body injury, took part in an optional morning skate but will not play. Defenseman Jared Cowen, also battling a lower-body injury, may miss the rest of the season.
"Colin won't play tonight, we're going to still be guarded and careful with him," coach Paul MacLean said. "Everything else, we're going to make a decision, possibly one more change at forward (Matt Kassian), but we haven't made a decision on that yet. Everything else will remain the same."
Here are the projected lineups:
SENATORS
Clarke MacArthur – Kyle Turris – Mark Stone
Milan Michalek – Jason Spezza – Ales Hemsky
Zack Smith – Mika Zibanejad – Chris Neil
Mike Hoffman – Jean-Gabriel Pageau – Erik Condra
Patrick Wiercioch – Eric Gryba
Scratched: Matt Kassian
Injured: Bobby Ryan (hernia surgery), Colin Greening (lower body), Jared Cowen (lower body)
ISLANDERS
Anders Lee – Frans Nielsen – Josh Bailey
John Persson – Brock Nelson – Cal Clutterbuck
Matt Martin – Ryan Strome – Colin McDonald
Mike Halmo – Casey Cizikas – Brett Gallant
Kevin Czuczman – Travis Hamonic
Scratched: Radek Martinek
Injured: Calvin de Haan (lower body), Michael Grabner (upper body), Kyle Okposo (lower body), Eric Boulton (hand), Brian Strait (hand), John Tavares (knee), Lubomir Visnovsky (upper body)