Isles Day to Day: Practice Updates Oct. 5, 2026

Fresh off a 6-0 win over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night, the New York Islanders were back at practice on Monday morning at Northwell Health Ice Center.

See below for lines from Monday's practice and check back for news, photos and interviews.

LINES:

Emil Heineman – Bo Horvat – Kyle Palmieri
Brayden Schenn – Cal Ritchie – Victor Eklund
Simon Holmström – JG Pageau – Anthony Duclair
Ondřej Palát – Casey Cizikas – Matias Maccelli 
Kyle MacLean 

Adam Pelech – Matthew Schaefer
Alexander Romanov – Ryan Pulock
Logan Stanley – Tony DeAngelo 
Matthew Kessel – Scott Mayfield 

Ilya Sorokin
Semyon Varlamov  

DEBOER ON METRO DIVISION MATCHUPS

Head Coach Pete DeBoer didn’t declare a starting goaltender for Tuesday’s game against the New York Rangers, but said he was pleased with the defensive mentality of the group in the 6-0 win over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.  

It’ll be the second consecutive Metropolitan Division matchup for the Islanders who will head to Madison Square Garden to take on a Rangers squad that’s 3-1-0 in the young season.  

The Islanders swept the regular season series against the Rangers last year, but DeBoer emphasized the “one game at a time” approach his team will need after a standout performance against the Devils.  

“We all know the importance of the divisional games and you know these are four-point games,” DeBoer said. “There are opportunities that you only get so many of that you get into the last 20, 30 games of the season you don’t want to be looking back at points you gave away, particularly in the division. I talked to our group today; there’s points on the table here early in a season if you can get your team game dialed in quicker than other teams can.”

CIZIKAS EARNS FIRST POSTGAME HARD HAT

Bo Horvat talked about how the Islanders’ collective work ethic was clicking against the Devils and that was embodied by Casey Cizikas’ effort on his shorthanded goal in the final 80 seconds of the third period.  

Simon Holmstrom excavated the puck along the wall in the defensive zone and chipped it ahead to Cizikas who sprung himself on a breakaway. He finished off his own rebound in tight and capped off a memorable night at UBS Arena.  

Later in the locker room, Cizikas was the first recipient of the new orange hard hat – that also contains earmuffs – to signify the hardest worker in a game. It’s a new addition to the Islanders’ postgame handouts, as the team is also giving out an oar to the player of the game.  

“We want to appreciate everybody’s hard work and guys that standout during the game and Casey really resembled that last game,” Horvat said. “His work ethic, not only his point production but [how] he sold out, he worked at both ends of the rink.”

EKLUND FAMILIAR WITH RIVALRY GAMES 

It was a memorable 20th birthday for Victor Eklund who scored his first NHL goal on Saturday in front of his mom in the stands. Eklund – who was serenaded with happy birthday singing by the crowd postgame – will shift his attention to a difficult road environment at MSG.  

Eklund said it’s an arena he dreamed of playing in as a kid, but it won’t be anything new for the rookie who got a taste of rivalry hockey in Sweden playing with Djurgarden.  

“It’s a good rivalry,” Eklund said. “It’s like back home Djugarden and AIK so I know how fun these games are to play so I’ve got to do my best.”