Islanders Oliver Wahlstrom ‘Doubtful’ for Game 1 against Boston Bruins

It’s unlikely that Oliver Wahlstrom will be on the ice for Game 1 between the New York Islanders and Boston Bruins.

The Islanders forward was knocked out of the Islanders’ Game 5 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins in the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Islanders head coach Barry Trotz classified Wahlstrom as still day-to-day and he was “doubtful” for the opening game of the Second Round.

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“He’s still doing some rehab,” Trotz said after the Islanders practiced at Northwell Health Ice Center on Long Island on Friday.

Wahlstrom was hurt after he went awkwardly into the boards from a hit by Mike Matheson late in the game. The hit sent Oliver Wahlstrom to the ice and forced his head to violently whiplash back and forth. The rookie was on the ice for several moments before he was helped to the team dressing room by a trainer and Scott Mayfield.

There was no penalty called on the play and it didn’t totally sit well with the Islanders head coach at the time.

“There was a little bit of an objection from our bench,” Trotz said on Wednesday prior to Game 6 against Pittsburgh. “We felt that the puck was in the corner. But you see a lot of that, what we call taking the guy’s lane and reverse hits and all that. We had a little bit of a complaint. But it was sort of a battle. He got twisted up, he got sideways and went down. I just thought it was a little further from the puck than it should have been.

“But it’s happening really quick. I understand the non-call on that.”

Oliver Wahlstrom had been having a rather strong performance in the playoffs when the injury occurred. The 20-year-old forward was coming off Game 4 which saw him score his first career playoff goal and he had been generating plenty of chance alongside Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Kyle Palmieri.

Game 1 between the Islanders and Boston takes place on Saturday at 8 p.m. at TD Garden.