Game preview: Rangers at Islanders

A couple of things before the Islanders go for their third straight victory and fifth in their last six a few hours from now at the Coliseum:

Rick DiPietro will start tonight, according to Greg Logan's Newsday blog post earlier today. DiPietro dodged a bullet with that high stick Saturday night, and it will be good to see him between the pipes tonight.

The Rangers are coming off a 2-0 shutout victory over the Flyers last night, giving them a 5-1 homestand that saw Henrik Lundqvist allow just two goals. He is red-hot, with four shutouts already, and the Rangers PK has killed 22 straight man-down situations.

Everybody's pal Sean Avery is back with the Blueshirts and dropped his gloves in the first minute of the Philly game. Although the first Isles-Rangers meeting was fairly quiet, expect the presence of Avery - not to mention Hollweg and Simon - to yield some fisticuffs before the night is through.

A message to Avery: Mary-Kate Olsen? Talk about trading down. Going from Elisha Cuthbert to Olsen could give you the bends, it's that deep a drop. Meanwhile, TMZ.com may be at the barn tonight given the chance that Olsen and Mike Comrie's squeeze, Hillary Duff, could be in the same building. Imagine that - the Nassau Coliseum, paparazzi paradise.

Also, a word about the Jim Baumbach item in Newsday - Chris Botta is absolutely right. That was pure drivel and completely pointless. Baumbach needs to know that no one in the NHL shares his feelings, and that the Islanders and their fans see through his lame attempt at generating controversy. One wonders if he really feels that way. And if he's aspiring to be the next Wally Matthews, he should set his sights higher.

The opener is just six hours away...

Some thoughts as the Islanders prepare for their season-opening, home-and-home series against the Sabres:

- Always great to begin the season against the team that bounced you from the playoffs the previous year, and the Islanders get that team twice in two days. And have we mentioned that it's also the team Ted Nolan used to coach? With so many new faces looking to make a statement from the get-go, expect the Islanders to be absolutely flying.

Good job by the team in signing Radek Martinek to a three-year contract extension. This guy was sorely missed and will be a huge difference maker if he can stay healthy.

- The Sabres had a rough off-season. That may be more of an understatement than saying Willie Randolph is on the hot seat. Daniel Briere is in Philly and we all know where Chris Drury is. And don't forget Danius Zubrus in New Jersey. Throw in Teppo Numminen's heart troubles and the Sabres could be in for some trouble. Then again, with Ryan Miller between the pipes, there's always hope.

- Have you seen the Versus TV ads? The one with the little guy in a Flyers T-shirt breaking panes of glass from 30 yards? That's Briere. He looks like he should be skateboarding in a Waldbaum's parking lot somewhere, and he just turned 30! Are we sure he's not related to Doug Flutie? How many times did we all yell "Just HIT HIM!" last season? And now we'll get to do it even more when the Flyers are across the ice. Beautiful.

- Three games in less than four days for the Islanders when they host the Capitals Monday afternoon in Kids' Opening Day. When you think of the Caps, do you picture Bryan Murray behind the bench? Me, too.