BUFFALO — A bad start to the Islanders season just got worse. 

Mat Barzal left the team’s road trip ahead of Friday’s game in Buffalo, returning to Long Island due to an upper-body injury, per a team announcement.

The Islanders said a time frame will be announced after Barzal sees team doctors. 

Coach Patrick Roy said the injury was suffered during Wednesday night’s loss in Columbus.

Barzal played a total of 22:46 in the 2-0 defeat, including the game’s final 2:51, but was on the receiving end of a hit from Yegor Chinakhov late in the second period. 

To state the obvious, any sort of extended absence for Barzal would be just about the worst possible news for the Islanders, who came into Friday with just one goal in their past eight periods of play and ranked dead last in the NHL in goals per game at a measly 2.10. 

Without Barzal, they are missing two-thirds of their opening top line, as Anthony Duclair is already on long-term injured reserve with a lower-body injury. 

“You don’t like to lose those guys,” Roy said. “They’re important players on your team, but this is the reality. It’s the way the NHL has been — a lot of teams losing quality players. Like I said on Duclair’s injury, it’s giving opportunities for other guys to play more minutes, maybe play a larger role.” 

Bo Horvat, who started the season between Duclair and Barzal, took line rushes Friday between Anders Lee and J-G Pageau. 

That marked just the second time Pageau and Horvat have played on a line together since Horvat has been an Islander, with the first coming in an April 1 overtime win over the Flyers last season.

The trio of Lee, Horvat and Pageau did start that game together but was quickly broken up after failing to gain traction. 

Pageau also said he and Horvat were linemates together on Team Canada at World Championships in 2018. 

“I think it can be an advantage for sure on faceoffs, since we both take draws on our strong side,” Pageau told The Post. “So if we start with the puck, then it’s definitely easier. 

“The roles might be a little different. I’m used to playing center. He’s used to all the time [being a] center, too. The system doesn’t change. It might be a little confusion right off the bat in our tendencies to go right down low in our D-zone. But that’s an easy adjustment, I think.” 

The Islanders put the second line of Max Tsyplakov, Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri back together, while the bottom six were shaken up with Lee and Pageau going up the lineup.

Pierre Engvall drew back in to play on the third line with Casey Cizikas at center and Simon Holmstrom on the left.

Oliver Wahlstrom played for the first time since last Friday in New Jersey, going to the fourth line with Hudson Fasching and Kyle MacLean. 

“It’s obviously a loss with Barzy out of the lineup,” Lee said. “We got some opportunity here to collectively step in and fill that hole from Barzy. Pager and I, we’re gonna play a simple game, we’re gonna work, gonna get in the corners. Just get dirty and get the puck in to the net.” 

Barzal had suffered a tough start to the season, going without a five-on-five goal so far, with his frustration visible after Tuesday’s loss to Anaheim. 

In addition to hurting an already struggling Islanders team, there is an added element to his absence, should it be for an extended period: Team Canada.

Rosters for the Four Nations Tournament are set to be announced at the start of December, and though Barzal was considered to have a hold on a spot, an injury could change that equation, particularly given he hadn’t been playing well before it. 

That would be devastating for a player who badly wanted to go to the Beijing Olympics three years ago before the NHL ultimately pulled out due to COVID concerns. 

For the Islanders, however, the immediate concern is turning around their goal-scoring woes and a start to the season that saw them record just one regulation win in their first 10 games while going 3-5-2. 

“You need everybody pulling together, need everybody stepping up,” Cizikas said. “That’s kinda the biggest thing now. We have big shoes to fill, and it’s a good test for us as a group and how we’re gonna respond to it.”