Los Angeles – A year ago, Kyle MacLean plunged into the islander scene like a supernova, playing with energy and courage.
In his second year at 25, he followed a more stringent course.
“I'm definitely still learning,” he told the Post after dying sick on Sunday before a 4-1 defeat to the Kings on Tuesday night at the crypto.com arena. “It happened last year, and this is the first year since camp. Maybe you can say it's a bit. There's no doubt you don't want any excuses or anything. I still have the work to do. I have to play.”
The fourth line after identity faces a much more coarser sled than expected.
McLean's linemates spin on a roughly constant base throughout the season. He played in one combination for 13 games – partly due to injuries, partly due to the combination not particularly effective.
McLean, who played 9:06 in the defeat, and MarkGatcom, who had two-thirds of the fourth line since Gatcom's mid-January call-up, are both also in the NHL learning curve.
“When you first get called, it's not necessarily a high, but I think it's kind of a different feeling,” McLean said. “Things aren't wrong. You have a little more adrenaline. And you can't manufacture it. When they're in the first place, that's true for everyone.
“It's just a little more this year. It's different in the camping sense. Things aren't going well [at points]. You have to understand that, make sure you don't affect them. You just have to continue. ”
Pierre Engbal Moved to the third line alongside Maxim Tsyplakov Casey Shidzika's Hudson Fassing will be in the fourth line.
“I hope it brings a spark. [Engvall] Needs, directed by Patrick Roy I said. “I hope Pierre plays [inside] A little more, drive the net, take the pack to the net, and engage more physically. ”
If McLean couldn't go on Tuesday, the islanders had planned to go with 11 forwards and seven defensive men. This time, Adam Bokvist is not playing as center, but about defense.
Ilya Sorokin Marcus Hogberg returned to the net for the island after facing Anaheim on Sunday.
