Isles Day-to-Day: Sorokin to Start, Line Changes in Montreal

The New York Islanders held a morning skate at Centre Bell ahead of Saturday's game against the Montreal Canadiens. 

Read the game preview here.

See Montreal's lines and d-pairs here.

See below for lines at morning skate and check back for news, photos and interviews. 

PROJECTED LINES

Anders Lee – Bo Horvat – Mathew Barzal
Anthony Duclair – Brayden Schenn – Emil Heineman
Ondrej Palat – JG Pageau – Simon Holmstrom
Cal Ritchie – Casey Cizikas – Marc Gatcomb

Matthew Schaefer – Ryan Pulock
Adam Pelech – Tony DeAngelo
Carson Soucy – Scott Mayfield

LINE CHANGES

Head Coach Patrick Roy tweaked all four of his lines after Thursday's loss to Ottawa.

Anders Lee skated with Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal, breaking up one of the most consistent duos this season in Horvat and Emil Heineman. Roy cited Lee's play with Horvat and Barzal last year as an impetus for the move. Lee and Barzal have played together plenty in the past, so there is familiarity there.

"We'll let him go to work down low and hopefully he can fish some pucks out for us," Barzal said of Lee. "He's been great in the forecheck all year, so hopefully he can create a few turnovers for us tonight. He's good around the net, so it'll force us to put pucks there."

Heineman is expected to play on the right side of Brayden Schenn and Anthony Duclair in what will be a new-look line. 

Simon Holmstrom was reunited with longtime linemate - and penalty kill partner - JG Pageau, with Ondrej Palat joining them. Roy said the connection between Holmstrom and Pageau was "important" in reuniting them.

Marc Gatcomb drew back into the lineup for the first time since March 13 after sitting out three games as a healthy scratch. Kyle MacLean came out of the lineup in a corresponding move. 

"We feel like it gives us four very good lines," Roy said. 

SOROKIN TO START

Ilya Sorokin will start in goal for the Islanders on Saturday. Sorokin is 6-0-2 lifetime against Montreal with a 1.83 GAA, a .939 SV% and three shutouts.

BARZAL AND HORVAT ON STAKES OF SATURDAY NIGHT'S GAME

Horvat called Thursday's game a "little bit of a wake-up call" for the Islanders, who found themselves out of a playoff position after allowing a last-second winner to Ottawa.

"It's a crazy, crazy league, you go from being third in your division to out of the playoffs in one game," Horvat said. "For us to maybe have a little bit of a wake up call and have a great response tonight."

Barzal said the Islanders understood the implications and have focused their sights on bouncing back in a high-stakes game in Montreal.

"We weren't all smiles after that one," Barzal said of Thursday's loss. "We knew what it meant, and we woke up yesterday and had a great day, took care of the bodies, and we'll be ready to go tonight."

The Islanders (83 points) and Canadiens (84 points) are in the middle of an Eastern Conference logjam that sees six teams separated by one point competing for five playoff spots. Barzal is embracing the challenge and the high-stakes nature of the stretch drive.

"It's a privilege to be playing at this time of year, playing these games and being right in the fight," Barzal said. I mean, this is the best time of the year. It gets me excited thinking about it. You grind all year to be in a position like this. And would we have liked to maybe have some cushion? Absolutely, but we are where we are, and it's so fun being a part of big games."