Notebook: Islanders Clutterbuck Returns, Lambert Making Defense Changes?

NEWARK, NJ– The New York Islanders have their hands full Friday night, as they have to find a way to counteract the surging New Jersey Devils and their speed.

The New York Islanders did not skate Friday morning, maybe to conserve all their energy, as the last time they faced the Devils, it was a 4-1 loss at UBS Arena. The Islanders also play Saturday night as they host the Carolina Hurricanes.

Islanders Face Surging Devils: ‘We Know What New Jersey Is Going to Do’

After the morning skate chat, Lambert confirmed Cal Clutterbuck would return to the Islanders lineup. The physical fourth-liner missed the last three games with an upper-body injury. 

 However, Lambert would not confirm if Hudson Fasching is the odd man out. Fasching’s spot and the blue line remain unsettled.

The other two injured players, Adam Pelech and Kyle Palmieri (both upper-body, day-to-day), did not make the trip to New Jersey.

Pelech will miss his first game, while Palmieri will miss his seventh straight game.

In Thursday’s practice, Robin Salo took Pelech’s spot alongside Ryan Pulock, but Lambert clarified that his pairings would be fluid.

“Well, everybody has to step up,” Lambert said. “Things will, maybe, shift around a little bit as the game goes on. There may be a couple of different pairings as well.”

“So, you know, this is just something when somebody gets hurt, that’s a big part of your team. Other people have to step up.”

The Pelech-Pulock defense pairing usually takes on the best the opposition offers. But without Pelech, the Islanders best defensive defenseman, that gameplan will have to change as Salo’s struggles at the NHL level have come in the defensive zone.

Despite the Alexander Romanov-Scott Mayfield pairing coming off a terrible performance against the St. Louis Blues in Tuesday’s 7-4 loss, the expectation is that they would handle the role of shutting down the opponent’s top dogs but like Lambert said, this will be a team effort while Pelech remains sidelined.

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Here’s What Lambert Said About Fasching; Increased Role on the Horizon?

Over the last two games, that’s what Lambert has seen from 27-year-old forward and recent call-up Hudson Fasching, who has shown well filling in for Cal Clutterbuck (upper-body, day-to-day). Lambert spoke on what he had seen from Fasching.

Here’s What Lambert Said About Fasching; Increased Role on the Horizon?

Remembering the Islanders Last Trip to The Rock: A Special Night for Cory Schneider

As the New York Islanders get set for their battle with the New Jersey Devils, we look back at the last time New York was in Newark. It was game 68 of the 2021-22 season, and with netminder Ilya Sorokin unavailable due to an upper-body injury, the Islanders recalled veteran netminder and former New Jersey Devil backstop Cory Schneider as he made his first NHL start in over two seasons.

The result was a 27-save performance as the Islanders extended their win streak to four games with a 4-3 win.

Remembering Last Trip to The Rock: A Special Night for Cory Schneider