Morning Skate Updates: Islanders vs Canucks

The New York Islanders take on the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night at Barclays Center at 7 p.m. Watch the game on MSG+, MSG GO or NHL.TV. Listen live on 88.7FM WRHU, 103.9FM LI News or online at RADIO.COM. Read the game preview. Check the game notes.

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SBISA RETURNS TO LINEUP:

Luca Sbisa returns to the lineup for the first time in nearly a month, last suiting up for the Islanders on Oct. 17 in Anaheim. Sbisa has one assist in three games this season and is looking to get the legs going early against Vancouver.
"I just want to have fun. Its been a while," Sbisa said. "I'll try to get engaged physically early, block a shot, get into a battle, doing that you get into a game pretty quick."
Sbisa will replace Adam Pelech and will likely skate with Johnny Boychuk, who he was partnered with during Monday's practice. Barry Trotz said Sbisa has worked hard in practice and deserves a chance to get back in.

"He's worked his butt off and has 500 games of experience, so we'll see what he can do," Trotz said. "He's a guy that's been patient and had a tremendous attitude and be gets a shot to get in there."
Trotz said having a veteran like Sbisa, who has 498 career games, helps elevate the internal competition, which the coach sees as a net positive for the Islanders.
"You always want to take someone's job and create that competition," Trotz said. "If you have that competition within the group, then you have a better group."

MATT MARTIN SKATES WITH ISLES:

Matt Martin took another step forward in his recovery on Tuesday, participating in the Islanders optional morning skate. Martin has been out with an upper-body injury since Nov. 1 and Tuesday marked his first skate with the team.
Barry Trotz said Martin is still considered day-to-day, but that he could rejoin the Islanders practices in the next day or two.

MILITARY APPRECIATION NIGHT:

The Islanders are hosting military appreciation night on Tuesday.
A full breakdown of the night's tributes and charitable initiatives
can be found here and
tickets purchased from this link will benefit United Heroes League
.
It seems fitting that Thomas Greiss is getting the start, as the Isles goalie works with military families and
stages a hockey camp at Fort Bragg for kids of military families.
"It's a great honor and I'm very happy we can show a little bit of appreciation there, we have a bunch of people coming," Greiss said. "Hopefully they all have a good time and we're just grateful for their service."
The Islanders have a military family in their locker room, as Scott Mayfield's brother Patrick is an F-16 pilot in the Air Force.
Read more about Mayfield's brother here.

CANUCKS PROJECTED LINES:

Antoine Roussel - Bo Horvat - Loui Eriksson
Nikolay Goldobin - Elias Pettersson - Jake Virtanen
Tim Schaler - Markus Granlund - Tyler Motte
Darren Archibald - Adam Gaudette - Brendan Leipsic
Derrick Pouliot - Chris Tanev
Ben Hutton - Erik Gudbranson
Michael Del Zotto - Troy Stecher