Okposo Returns As The Isles Face The Caps Tonight at 7PM E.T

The Islanders will battle against Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals tonight at 7PM E.T. Starting in goal will be Rick DiPietro, who missed practice yesterday and Sunday with the flu.

The moment we've all been waiting for is finally here. Kyle Okposo will be in the lineup tonight after missing all games played this season with a shoulder injury that needed to be surgically repaired. Here's what Kyle had to say about returning:

"I've been waiting a long time for this, and I'm ready to go."

“I’m sure I’ll be pretty amped up and have to almost control my emotions a little bit and remind myself that I have done it before and you just have to go play,”

Head coach Jack Capuano stated that Okposo could see some powerplay time, but "We'll have to see how the game goes".

Frans Nielsen, who's been out the past two weeks due to a groin injury, will also be in the lineup tonight on a line with Okposo.

The full lines from yesterdays practice are the following: (via the Islanders official website)

Forwards

26 Matt Moulson – 91 John Tavares – 15 PA Parenteau
57 Blake Comeau – 12 Josh Bailey – 37 Jeremy Colliton
40 Michael Grabner – 51 Frans Nielsen – 21 Kyle Okposo
17 Matt Martin – 28 Zenon Konopka – 14 Trevor Gillies
44 Rob Schremp

Defensemen

47 Andrew MacDonald – 36 Travis Hamonic
24 Radek Martinek – 38 Jack Hillen
8 Bruno Gervais – 42 Dylan Reese

Goaltenders

39 Rick DiPietro
52 Nathan Lawson