Oliver Wahlstrom back in Islanders' lineup following Julian Gauthier's injury
New York Islanders right wing Oliver Wahlstrom sets before a face off against the Minnesota Wild in the second period of an NHL hockey game at UBS Arena on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
WASHINGTON — Oliver Wahlstrom was back in the Islanders’ lineup for Wednesday night’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Capitals at Capital One Arena because Julien Gauthier was unavailable. It was Wahlstrom’s latest chance to show he can evolve his game past simply sharpshooting.
He took one shot in 11:39 while playing on third-line center Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s right wing with Simon Holmstrom.
Coach Lane Lambert liked some of the details he saw.
“He made a couple of strong plays,” Lambert said. “He made a great play in the third period winning a battle along the wall just over their blue line and setting up a real good scoring opportunity.”
Gauthier exited Tuesday’s 3-1 win over the Oilers at UBS Arena after his first shift of the second period with an upper-body injury. Gauthier did accompany the Islanders on the road and Lambert listed him as day to day.
Wahlstrom has two goals and three assists in 18 games. He suffered a knee injury last December that kept him out until training camp.
Said Lambert, “He’s past that injury now, it’s almost a year.”
Isles Files
Top-line center Bo Horvat had his career-high 11-game point streak snapped. He took four shots in 19:51 . . . Center Brock Nelson’s point streak ended at five games . . . Dylan Strome’s power-play goal in overtime survived a review to see if Tom Wilson played the puck with a high stick . . . The Islanders played most of the second period short a forward as fourth-liner Cal Clutterbuck retreated to the dressing room from 5:11 to 17:20 before returning to the game. Lambert said Clutterbuck was OK . . . Left wing Matt Martin (upper body) was activated off his second stint on injured reserve with the same issue but was not in the lineup, marking the 17th straight game he has missed . . . Defenseman Grant Hutton remained a healthy scratch.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
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