Islanders' fourth line of Cizikas, Clutterbuck and Martin battling injuries, illness
Cal Clutterbuck #15 and Casey Cizikas #53 of the Islanders are stopped by Brian Elliott #37 of the Philadelphia Flyers at NYCB Live's Nassau Coliseum on Sunday, Mar. 3, 2019. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Barry Trotz has relied upon his fourth line of center Casey Cizikas, Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin to set an identity for the Islanders, but all three of those players were unavailable by the end of Sunday afternoon’s 4-1 loss to the Flyers at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum.
Martin (upper body) missed his second straight game, and Ross Johnston again replaced him. Trotz said there are no long-term concerns and that Martin had been a possibility for this game.
Clutterbuck exited at 13:32 of the second period with an upper-body issue. Cizikas, battling a virus all game, returned to the Islanders’ room twice in the third period.
Said Trotz, “We had a couple of guys before the game that weren’t feeling that great.”
Eberle drops the gloves
Islanders right wing Jordan Eberle had his second fight in nine NHL seasons, both against the Flyers. Eberle, who dropped the gloves with Travis Konecny (fifth career fight) at 1:41 of the second period, also fought Scott Laughton on Jan. 4, 2018.
“I kind of hit him and he asked to go,” Eberle said of Konecny. “You find a matchup that suits you and it’s definitely one. I’m not one to go looking for fights.”
Isles files
Sunday marked the first time goalie Robin Lehner has been pulled from a game. He played the first two periods of a 6-3 win at Pittsburgh on Oct. 30 before getting injured . . . Left wing Andrew Ladd has an assist in each of the three games he’s played since being activated off long-term injured reserve . . . Trotz did not dismiss the possibility of recalling a forward from Bridgeport (AHL) but prefers to allow the players currently on the roster to work themselves out of this slump . . . The Flyers dressed 11 forwards and played with 10 after Clutterbuck’s shot hit the right side of Nolan Patrick’s head at 4:01 of the first period.
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.
