Jordan Eberle, Cal Clutterbuck and Thomas Hickey have all been ruled out for the New York Islanders game against the Ottawa Senators.
Within injury, there always lies opportunity, and for both Josh Ho-Sang and Devon Toews the chance to be a regular has been extended.The New York Islanders are riding some strong momentum coming off of a 3-1 win against the Dallas Stars on Sunday and a successful 3-1-0 road trip. During that span, the Islanders outscored their opponent by a combined 12-7, and finally revitalized their otherwise lacking powerplay in Colorado.
Looking to keep up their strong play, the Islanders will be without three of their regulars (plus the far-off Andrew Ladd, who’s been on the team’s IR since Nov. 15).
Trotz: “Jordan Eberle will not be in tonight, he’s day-to-day. Hickey will not play tonight and will not make the road trip. Cal Clutterbuck is traveling but he will not be in tonight.” #OTTvsNYI pic.twitter.com/2rvcwn3C49
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) December 28, 2018
While the injury timetables are largely unknown, the phrasing for both Clutterbuck and Eberle’s ailments allude to neither of them missing significant time with both listed as day-to-day.
Hickey will not travel with the team to Toronto/Buffalo for the New Year festivities, while Clutterbuck will travel and there is uncertainty for Eberle.
In the absence of one of the Islanders’ few right-handed shots, Ho-Sang steps into the lineup alongside Anders Lee and Brock Nelson on the first line. In the five games Ho-Sang skated in this season, he already compiled a goal on the Leo Komarov-Valtteri Filppula line.
What’s more is that in those five games he has a Corsi-for percentage of 60 — a small sample, yes, but a dominant one at that.
Though Toews has played but one game this season, he also held a 60 percent Corsi-for rating and gelled in seamlessly alongside Luca Sbisa.
Tom Kuhnhackl will likely sub-in for Clutterbuck’s spot in the bottom-six.
As the Islanders cross into the new year and the second half of their NHL season, they’ll likely be seeing some more fresh faces in light of the lingering injury, and eventually, the trade deadline.
It remains unconfirmed, but it’s believed Robin Lehner will be in goal to face the team that drafted him in 2009.
The Senators will be without the services of Craig Anderson for the weekend. In his absence, Mike McKenna will make his 34th-career start in goal and his 10th this season (.902 save percentage, 3.79 goals-against average) while the lone scratch will be Tom Pyatt.
