WASHINGTON — The Islanders are meant to be getting healthier right about now.
Instead, they are dealing with another injury, as Jean-Gabriel Pageau was made a last-minute scratch due to a lower-body issue against the Capitals on Black Friday.
Pageau, who is considered day to day, gets added to a list of injuries that already includes Mat Barzal (upper body), Anthony Duclair (suspected groin), Adam Pelech (jaw) and Mike Reilly (heart surgery).
Simon Holmstrom skated in Pageau’s usual spot on the top line and put up his first career two-goal game in a losing effort, with Jakob Chychrun scoring the 5-4 winner for Washington in overtime.
New York Islanders center Jean-Gabriel Pageau (44) skate with the puck during the third period against the Montreal Canadiens at UBS Arena, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, in Elmont, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST“He played really well,” Patrick Roy said of the Swede. “That line was really, really good. I was very impressed the way he played. Very impressed. He was solid on the wall, played well offensively. I loved his game. Big time.
The last-second nature of the injury — Roy said 75 minutes before game time that the only lineup change would be Hudson Fasching drawing in for Matt Martin — is perhaps reason to think the Islanders are acting out of mere caution. But after the way things have gone so far this season, it would be a leap to make any kind of positive assumption about an injury.
Martin, by the way, ended up in the lineup after all because Pageau didn’t feature, saying he learned he would be playing with a few minutes left in warm-ups.
For Fasching, it was his first time drawing in since a Nov. 5 shootout victory over the Penguins.
New York Islanders center Jean-Gabriel Pageau (44) shoots on goal during the third period against the Montreal Canadiens at UBS Arena, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, in Elmont, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POSTThe fourth line, which was configured with those two skating between Kyle MacLean, had just a terrible 12.37 expected goals percentage over 8:07 of ice, per Natural Stat Trick, though MacLean got on the scoreboard for the first time this season.
Oliver Wahlstrom, who usually features on the fourth line, instead jumped to the third line with Pierre Engvall and Casey Cizikas. That trio was on for a goal against and had an abysmal 11.33 expected goals percentage in 6:19 of ice time.
Scott Mayfield went to the dressing room with a trainer after taking a Chychrun shot to the face with eight minutes left in the game and did not return.
Roy, however, said afterward that Mayfield was fine.
Semyon Varlamov stopped just 21 of 26 shots. It was the third time this season he has allowed five goals, all in games the Islanders lost.
