Having already clinched a postseason berth and locked into a first-round series with the Carolina Hurricanes, there isn’t much for the New York Islanders to play for tonight in their regular-season finale.
So rather than risking the health of some of their starters in a game with little consequence, the Islanders will give them a rest before the playoffs begin.
According to multiple reports, Sebastian Aho, Mathew Barzal, Pierre Engvall and Hudson Fasching will all sit out tonight’s game due to maintenance.
The Islanders ran a lineup featuring 11 forwards and seven defensemen at this morning’s skate at Northwell Health Ice Center, but that is subject to change prior to the game this evening.
What is clear, though, is that Oliver Wahlstrom and Samuel Bolduc will return to the lineup and stretch their legs before the playoffs after consistently being made healthy scratches over the final stretch of the regular season. Wahlstrom has not appeared in a game since Feb. 24, while Bolduc has sat out since Jan. 27.
Ilya Sorokin is projected to be the starter in net for the Islanders tonight, which likely puts Semyon Varlamov in line to start Game 1 of the playoffs against Carolina.
The Islanders will close out their regular season against the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight at UBS Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for just after 7 p.m. EST.
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