Islanders Practice: Barzal on the Left

EAST MEADOW, NY -- Saturday is quickly approaching as the New York Islanders continue to work toward their season-opening matchup against the Buffalo Sabres. 

Everyone was accounted for at Thursday's practice, which included Simon Holmstrom.

Here were the lines at practice:

The big standout from the lines is that Mathew Barzal skated on Bo Horvat's left, something we have seen at times during preseason and at practice. 

Even though Julien Gauthier has fared well in camp, he remains an extra at practice alongside Oliver Wahlstrom, who continues to work his way back from an ACL injury. 

That means that Barzal and Holmstrom are on their off-wings, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Each player flanking Horvat can be in a position for a one-time shot. 

Also, Barzal can make forehand passes to the backdoor or to the high guy coming in rather than relying on a backhand feed. 

For Holmstrom, his ability to cut to the slot, which is on display, can now happen at a higher rate. The question is, does he hit the net? 

The Islanders ran these power-play lines:

PP1: Palmieri-Horvat-Barzal-Nelson-Dobson

PP2: Lee-Pageau-Pulock-Engvall-Aho/Bolduc

Wahlstrom did take a shift on the second power-play unit for Pageau, not Pulock, as he did earlier in the week.