The New York Islanders finally snapped their brutal four-game losing streak Thursday night, pulling out a 5-2 victory against the Los Angeles Kings. But don’t let that score fool you, because this win came with a gut punch right before puck drop: Jean-Gabriel Pageau suffered a lower-body injury and left the morning skate just minutes after he got there. It was an ugly, messy win, and it felt like it came at too high a cost, leaving the lineup thin even with a couple of key guys returning.
That Win Was So Ugly, the Coach Tossed the Game Plan
Talk about starting with an immediate crisis. Pageau’s sudden injury meant head coach Pete DeBoer had to completely ditch his planned lines and scramble. The team played with just 11 forwards and seven defensemen, a move DeBoer admitted was about protecting a returning player. He told the New York Post, “I think we wanted to give Pulock some protection. He hadn’t played in a while, and really that was probably the main thing.” Casey Cizikas got bumped to center the third line, while Matias Maccelli and Mitchell Chaffee had to form a fourth line. Matt Kessel stepped in as an extra defenseman to patch up the holes.
The team clearly struggled to find its rhythm, and it showed. Bo Horvat sealed the deal with an empty-net goal, but even he knew it wasn’t pretty. “It wasn’t pretty, but we got the job done,” Horvat told The Post after the game. The crowd was sparse, the refereeing was apparently terrible, but hey, they got the two points in the standings. Sometimes you just gotta grind out a win, right? But the immediate impact of Pageau’s injury meant the whole team was playing catch-up from the start.
Returns Are Great, But The Injury Bug Is Still Lurking
On the bright side, the Islanders did get some big names back on the ice. Ryan Pulock played his first game since offseason shoulder surgery, and honestly, he looked solid. He notched two secondary assists and helped shore up the defensive structure, which is huge. But even Pulock knows he’s not out of the woods, confirming his shoulder acted up again. “It’s just something to deal with for four games. Originally, when it happened, I thought maybe it’d be worse,” he stated. That’s not exactly a confidence-builder for a long season.
Matias Maccelli also returned after missing three-and-a-half weeks with a lower-body injury. He was slotted into the fourth line initially to ease him back in before the lineup shuffle, which is smart. Before he got hurt, Maccelli was producing, snagging six points in eight games. The hope is he can get his legs under him and contribute right away.
Horvat summed up the grim reality after the game, calling it “kind of a depleted lineup.” Still, he praised the effort, saying, “Different guys stepped up in different ways. … All-around great team effort with guys out of the lineup.” And credit where credit’s due: Victor Eklund extended his scoring streak to four games with a goal, showing that young talent is finding its stride. Plus, Matthew Schaefer hit his 100th NHL game and Tony DeAngelo reached 500 NHL games on Thursday, which is pretty cool. They’ve got scoring depth with Maccelli back and defensive structure with Pulock returning. But man, they absolutely cannot afford more injuries, especially to a key player like Pageau. Can this team stay healthy enough to make a real run, or will the injury bug keep biting?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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