Game Preview: Islanders vs. Utah Hockey Club

NOTES FROM THE ISLANDERS:

– Semyon Varlamov will start the season in goal, according to head coach Patrick Roy and Ilya Sorokin at the back. Varlamov went 14-8-4 with a 2.60 GAA, .918 SV% and three shutouts last season, while also starting four of the five games in the Isles' first-round playoff series against Carolina. Varlamov went 2-0-0 in the preseason, stopping 46 of 49 shots in parts of three exhibition games for a combined mark of 129-16.

Sorokin saw no preseason action as the Russian goalkeeper missed the first two weeks of training camp as he recovered from an offseason injury. Sorokin was 25-19-12 last season with a 3.01 GAA and a .909 SV% with two shutouts.

– Anthony Duclair and Maxim Tsyplakov will make their official Islanders debuts on Thursday night. Duclair signed a four-year contract with the Islanders in the offseason and spent almost all of training camp on a line and power play unit with Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat. Duclair scored five points in four preseason games (1G, 4A). Duclair has 303 points in 563 games in his NHL career.

Tsyplakov is also making his official NHL debut after moving to the KHL and signing a one-year deal with the Islanders in the offseason. Tsyplakov scored 31 goals in 65 games for Spartak Moskva last season and was a highly sought-after player as a free agent. Tsyplakov had three points in five preseason games (1G, 2A) and is expected to start on a line with Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri and play on a power play unit with Barzal, Noah Dobson, Duclair and Horvat.

– The offseason also saw some notable departures from the Islanders' roster, namely long-time wingers Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck, both of whom rank in the top 12 in games played with the franchise. Martin, 823 games with the Isles, seventh all-time, is currently on PTO with the Islanders, while Clutterbuck, 718 games with New York, 12th, is a free agent. Defenseman Sebastian Aho signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins organization after spending seven seasons with the Isles organization.

– Mathew Barzal led the Islanders with nine points (4G, 5A) in four preseason games, including a five-point performance in the preseason finale against the New York Rangers on Oct. 4. Barzal's nine points tied San Jose's Danil Gushchin for the NHL preseason lead.