Barry Trotz says Oliver Wahlstrom's hit on Jack Hughes was clean
Islanders' Oliver Wahlstrom, left, hits New Jersey Devils' Jack Hughes, center, during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Newark, N.J., Sunday, April 3, 2022. Credit: AP/Seth Wenig
NEWARK — Oliver Wahlstrom knocked Devils center Jack Hughes out of Sunday’s game with an apparent leg injury with a hard check along the boards.
Devils defenseman P.K. Subban clearly thought it was a knee-on-knee hit and attacked Wahlstrom as the play shifted up ice, earning a game misconduct at 4:36 of the second period in the Islanders’ 4-3 win at Prudential Center.
Islanders coach Barry Trotz thought Wahlstrom’s hit was clean and indicated Subban could have handled any retaliation differently.
“Eye him up and go at it, that’s where the anger was,” said Trotz, who had accomplished fighter Ross Johnston in the lineup. “He was very fortunate he got kicked out of the game. I thought Wahlly played through him. I thought Hughes tried to jump back and avoid the hit and so it looks worse than it really is.”
Greene’s finale?
Sunday may have marked former Devils captain Andy Greene’s final game at Prudential Center as there is no guarantee the Islanders defenseman, who will turn 40 in October, will play next season. Greene, with his family in the stands, logged 16:07 after missing the previous two games with an unspecified injury.
Greene played 923 games for the Devils from 2007-20 before being traded to the Islanders.
“You saw what he meant to this franchise,” former Devil Kyle Palmieri said. “I’m a firm believer Greenie can play as long as he wants. He’s a bit of a freak of nature in that way. Whether he decides to go next year or not, it’s really awesome.”
Isles files
Defenseman Adam Pelech matched his career high with three assists. His secondary assist on Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s opening goal at 11:56 of the first period gave Pelech 100 career points . . . The Islanders are 11-for-11 on the penalty kill in their last four games after denying the Devils’ power play twice.
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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