WASHINGTON — Islanders should be healthier now.
Instead, they're dealing with another injury, as Jean-Gabriel Pageau suffered a last-minute injury to the Capitals on Black Friday with a lower-body issue.
Pageau, who has been in the spotlight daily, joins an injury list that already includes Matt Barzal (upper body), Anthony Duclair (groin doubt), Adam Pelech (jaw) and Mike Riley (heart surgery). It turns out.
Simon Holmstrom skated in Pageau's usual top-line position and scored the first two goals of his career in the loss, and Jakob Chishurun scored the winning goal for Washington, 5-4, in overtime.
“He played really well,” Patrick Roy said of the Swede. “That line was really, really good. I was very impressed with the way he played. I was very impressed. He stood his ground against the wall and played well offensively. I love his game. It was an important time.
Roy announced 75 minutes before the game that the only lineup change would be to include Hudson Fassing in place of Matt Martin, which is likely given the last-minute nature of the injury. That's probably why the Islanders think they're acting out of caution. But considering how things have gone so far this season, it would be a leap to make any positive assumptions about injuries.
Incidentally, Martin ended up being included because Pageau didn't play, but said he found out he was going to play in the final few minutes of warm-ups.
It was Fassing's first tie since a shootout victory over the Penguins on Nov. 5.
According to Natural Stat Trick, the fourth line, which consisted of these two skating between Kyle MacLean, was expected to spend 8:07 on the ice even though MacLean was on the scoreboard for the first time this season. His goal percentage was just 12.37, which was abysmal.
Oliver Wahlstrom, who normally features on the fourth row, instead jumped to the third row along with Pierre Envall and Casey Cizikas. The trio was looking to score, but their expected goal percentage in 6 minutes, 19 seconds of ice time was an abysmal 11.33.
Scott Mayfield went to the locker room with his trainer and did not return after being hit in the face by Chicherin with eight minutes left in the game.
But Roy later said Mayfield was fine.
Semyon Varlamov stopped only 21 of 26 shots. It was the third time this season he allowed five runs, all of which were games the Islanders lost.
