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Isles ‘can’t wait’ for Friday’s opener in Ohio

Complete 6-0-2 Preseason with 5-2 Victory in Philadelphia

October 3, 2017 By John Torenli, Sports Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Anthony Beauvillier (right) scored two goals in Sunday’s exhibition win in Philadelphia, helping the Islanders complete an impressive 6-0-2 preseason campaign. AP Photo by Tom Mihalek
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Anthony Beauvillier can’t wait for his second full season in the NHL.

And the rest of the Islanders are equally enthusiastic about what may turn out to be their final campaign as full-time residents of Downtown Brooklyn.

Beauvillier scored two goals Sunday evening as the Islanders capped off their preseason slate with an impressive 6-0-2 mark, skating away with a 5-2 victory over the Flyers in front of 18,575 fans at Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center.

“There’s a lot of confidence,” said Beauvillier, who hopes to build on a solid but sometimes spotty rookie campaign in which he amassed 24 points in 61 games for New York.

The Isles finished their exhibition slate with a 6-0-2 mark, providing a sense of momentum entering Friday night’s regular-season opener against the Blue Jackets in Columbus, Ohio.

“We’ve played strong preseason games and it’s fun when you win,” Beauvillier added.

“It’s always more fun. I just can’t wait for Friday. Let’s get it going.”

Veteran defenseman Dennis Seidenberg and Anders Lee, who led the team with 34 goals last year, also scored for New York, which fell a single point shy of the final Eastern Conference playoff spot in 2016-17 despite going a blistering 24-12-4 after Doug Weight stepped in for fired head coach Jack Capuano.

Weight, now entering his first season as full-time head coach, isn’t putting much stock in his team’s strong preseason showing, but also won’t completely dismiss the importance of piling up wins.

“These don’t mean anything as far as the standings, but it’s a great building block for our team,” noted Weight, who reshaped the coaching staff this summer by hiring several former teammates and NHL veterans, including Luke Richardson, Kelly Buchberger and Scott Gomez.

“There’s experience to be gained from winning close games and going 6-0-2,” he added. “I think there’s good vibes, good confidence and it bodes well for the organization.”

Any positive vibes are welcome for the Isles as they head into a season of uncertainty regarding where they’ll eventually play their home games, and if they can retain their most important player.

By officially entering a Bid for Proposal for a new arena at Belmont Park last week Isles co-owners Scott Malkin and Jon Ledecky made it clear that they intend to opt out of their “iron-clad” 25-year lease agreement at Downtown’s Barclays Center as early as this coming January.

Also, the Isles still haven’t been able to get team captain and two-time Hart Trophy finalist John Tavares to sign on the dotted line for what figures to be an eight-year, $100 million-plus contract extension.

Cementing their future arena plans and showing vast improvement on the ice will both factor heavily in Tavares’ decision to either re-sign or enter unrestricted free agency following this season.

But for now, the Isles can leave the business side of hockey behind and get down to seriously challenging for a postseason spot, which would be their second in three seasons since moving into Barclays back in 2015.

“Preseason is just about working on your game, getting back in a groove and feeling good,” said Isles goaltender Thomas Greiss after making 31 saves against the Flyers Sunday.

“There are a couple things I want to work on, but overall my game has progressed nicely over the last couple of games.”

So has Beauvillier’s.

The 20-year-old forward, who had nine goals as a rookie, potted three in the preseason and is expected to light the lamp many more times this coming year.

“I think he’s playing Friday,” Weight said of Beauvillier. “He’s been excellent in every aspect of the game. He’s really taken on the [penalty kills] and he’s an engine. He’s working, he’s skating better, he’s put work in and he’s a heck of a player.”

Another youngster who wrapped up his second straight Opening Night roster spot was Mathew Barzal, who led the team with six points this preseason.

“He was excellent tonight,” Weight said of Barzal after the rookie picked up three assists in Friday’s 3-1 victory over Buffalo.

“He’s created a lot of offense, he’s skating well and he’s making some good decisions, too. There were a couple of shifts where maybe he got over extended, but those are things to get better, but he played another good game.”

With the preseason behind them, and an uncertain future ahead, the Isles are doubtlessly looking forward to the 82-game slate in front of them, and what they hope will be many more games to follow come the postseason.

Isle Have Another: Greiss is likely to get the Opening Night nod over veteran Jaroslav Halak, but both goaltenders figure to get close to equal playing time until one clearly emerges as the No. 1 netminder. Greiss stopped 73-of-76 shots during the preseason and Halak stopped 76 of 78 shots, giving Weight two solid options between the pipes. “As far as I’m concerned, I have two great goalies and I’m excited to see them challenge each other in a great teammate kind of way,” Weight said last week … Despite scoring a goal in Sunday’s win, veteran Steve Bernier was placed on and cleared waivers Monday, meaning he’ll begin in the season with the team’s AHL affiliate in Bridgeport, Connecticut … Also getting cut Monday morning were former Devils forward Steven Gionta and Isles defenseman prospect Devon Toews, both of whom will also be sent to Bridgeport …  The Isles will kick off the home portion of their schedule at Barclays on Saturday night against Buffalo before hosting a special Columbus Day matinee in Downtown Brooklyn Monday vs. St. Louis. Following that, New York will go on an early trip out West, visiting Anaheim (Oct. 11), San Jose (Oct. 14) and Los Angeles (Oct. 15) before its first tilt against the arch rival Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 19.

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