Why was Islanders vs. Rangers preseason game postponed? Game now set to take place on Sept. 30

The preseason game between the New York Islanders and the New York Rangers, originally scheduled for tonight, has been postponed due to a state of emergency declared by New York State. The game has been rescheduled and will now take place on Saturday, September 30th, at 7 p.m. at the UBS Arena.

Due to a day off on Thursday, the Islanders were set to host the Rangers on Friday, with puck drop scheduled for 7 p.m. at the UBS Arena. In their previous matchup on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, the Islanders suffered a 4-2 loss to the Rangers, allowing three goals in the opening 3 minutes and 10 seconds of the game.

The lineup for today's game was expected to feature more of the roster that fans can anticipate seeing in the season opener on October 14th, with a few possible changes.

Projected lineup for the Islanders vs. Rangers preseason game

According to Thehockeynews.com, the projected lineup for the Islanders vs. Rangers preseason game will be as follows:

• Simon Holmstrom-Bo Horvat-Mathew Barzal
• Pierre Engvall-Brock Nelson-Hudson Fasching
• Anders Lee-Jean-Gabriel Pageau-Julien Gauthier
• Ross Johnston-Kyle MacLean-Cal Clutterbuck
• Adam Pelech-Noah Dobson
• Alex Romanov (preseason debut)-Ryan Pulock
• Samuel Bolduc-Scott Mayfield
• Semyon Varlamov
• Jakub Skarek

Alexander Romanov will likely make his debut on Saturday for the New York Islanders

After undergoing offseason shoulder surgery, Alexander Romanov is set to make his preseason debut on Saturday for the New York Islanders. Despite the surgery, Romanov's commitment to his recovery and training was evident as he didn't miss a day of training camp and even participated in several scrimmages.

While he had to sit out the first two preseason games earlier in the week, he's eager to hit the ice in an NHL game once again.

Expressing his excitement, Romanov said,

"It's unreal. I just want to play a game as soon as possible. I'm ready to go."

His determination and enthusiasm are qualities that his teammates admire, with forward Hudson Fasching noting,

"He's definitely itching to get out there. I mean, that's just his personality. He'll play through anything to be on the ice. He's just always excited to play. He's amped up."

Romanov is expected to partner with Ryan Pulock on the ice, and Islanders fans look forward to seeing him back in action after his surgery and rehab efforts.

As the NHL 2023-24 season inches closer, the excitement is shooting through the roof for Isles fans.