There is nothing like game action. You can practice all you want, but until you are facing an actual game situation you don't know how an athlete will perform. That was the thinking.

There was all the makings of a fun morning with Matt Moulson and Rob Schremp chirping each other via Twitter. But they ended up on the same team and on the same line much of the morning so there was no real contest between them.

However, the contest came between Blake Comeau and Dwayne Roloson as Blake scored on the soon to be 41-year-old net minder in the first minute of the first period. He would score again a little while later. But Roloson would last only two periods before 6’5” youngster Mikko Koskinen would replace him in net. Mikko faced quite a few shots, but let none of them in to keep the White team leading 4 - 2.

On the other side of the ice it was the Rick DiPietro show. This was the Ricky of old. It was Sound Tiger Rick DiPietro. This was the same Rick that would drive fans and coaches crazy with his aggressive play and tendency to wander from the net.

It didn’t matter. He was testing himself and it looked as if he passed with flying colors. Rick took offense to Matt Martin’s “bump” in Rick’s crease. He made sure he let him know it. He then let Jon Sim know he wasn’t happy with the liberties Sim took with goal scorer Blake Comeau along the boards. Forgetting what game he was actually playing, Rick decided to tackle Sim to the ice and hold him there. Words were exchanged and Kirill Kabanov had to serve the penalty for Rick. (Pretty fitting don’t you think.)

While the penalty kill on both teams did very well, it wasn’t enough to keep the Blue team from evening up the score to 4 - 4.

Now for the bad. Matt Moulson was charged with a cross checking penalty on Mark Streit and Streit went awkwardly into the boards and injured his left shoulder. Scott Gordon called it “flukish.” Islander fans should call it “oh crap.” Steit will be evaluated and the prognosis should be available by Monday.

Losing Mark Streit for any amount of time would be a huge blow to the Islanders. Doug Weight, Frans Nielsen and Kyle Okposo were not on the ice today either. Kyle is nursing a shoulder injury as well. This happens every year. It’s things such as this that make it extremely difficult for the coaching staff.

Due to the Islanders schedule, final cuts will not be made until after the two rounds of split squad exhibition games. Scott Gordon will not have much time to get his final roster together and we won’t know which youngsters will end up in the new Isles sweaters or a Sound Tiger one.

All I know is -- Rick passed his first test.

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