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Islanders begin Capuano era versus Lightning

Nov 17, 2010 - 4:14 PM (Sports Network) - The New York Islanders will play their first game since the firing of Scott Gordon when they host the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight at Nassau Coliseum.

Gordon was relieved of his head coaching duties on Monday after leading the Islanders to a 4-10-3 record this year. He has been replaced by Jack Capuano on an interim basis.

Gordon was hired prior to the 2008-09 season and his brief tenure ended with a mark of 64-94-23.

Capuano will make his NHL head coaching debut tonight as he takes over the reins for an Islanders team that is currently last in the NHL with 11 points. The 44-year-old was promoted from his job as head coach of New York's AHL affiliate in Bridgeport, where Capuano led the Sound Tigers to a 133-100-8-14 record since the 2007-08 season.

"Cappy (Capuano) is coming in here with a great mind set," Islanders captain Doug Weight told his team's web site. "It's a new start. It's a fresh beginning for all of the guys on the team. It's up to us to take advantage of this opportunity to play and have this fresh feeling. We have to win some hockey games, enough of the excuses or whatever has been going on. We are starting new and hopefully Wednesday begins with a win."

Gordon's last game with the Isles was not a pretty one, as New York was dealt a 5-1 loss in Los Angeles on Saturday. It was the 10th straight loss for the Islanders, who are 0-9-1 since last posting a win in Tampa Bay on October 21.

The Islanders posted a 3-2 overtime win against the Lightning last month, giving New York victories in eight of the last 13 meetings between the clubs. The teams have split the last 10 encounters at the Coliseum.

Rob Schremp scored the only goal for the Islanders in Saturday's loss to the Kings, while Dwayne Roloson was tagged for all five goals on 34 shots.

The Islanders have scored a total of eight goals over their last eight games and have been outscored by a 30-8 margin during that stretch.

New York is 2-2-1 as the host this year and, beginning with tonight's test is playing five of its next six games on home ice.

The Lightning also enter tonight in desperate need of a win. The club has lost three straight and has just one win in seven games (1-5-1) this month.

All three setbacks on Tampa's current three-game slide have come in regulation and the Bolts have been outscored 15-5 over that stretch. The latest defeat came Sunday against Minnesota, which earned a 4-1 decision at St. Pete Times Forum. John Madden scored the tie-breaking goal and Martin Havlat added three assists for the Wild.

Martin St. Louis recorded the only goal for the Lightning, while Dan Ellis stopped 14 shots in defeat.

Steven Stamkos picked up an assist on the lone Lightning goal to extend his points streak to five straight games. He has also notched at least a point in 12 of his last 13 contests.

The Lightning have lost four of their last five on the road and are 4-5-1 as the visiting team this season. Tampa is kicking off a three-game road trip tonight and will also make stops in Philadelphia and Buffalo during the swing.