Washington, D.C.– Scott Mayfield will be a game-time decision for the New York Islanders, the team’s head coach, Lane Lambert, said ahead of tonight’s contest with the Washington Capitals.
Mayfield has missed the Islanders’ last seven games while listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
In the final minutes of the Islanders’ opening game on Oct. 14, Mayfield blocked a shot off his left ankle and came up lame but still managed to play shift afterward.
Over the last few weeks, Mayfield has gradually worked his way back from the injury, becoming increasingly more involved in team practices.
“He’s one of the core defensemen, and he means a lot to this team both on the ice and off the ice,” Sebastian Aho, Mayfield’s regular defense partner, said. “We’re pretty eager to get him back. It’s never fun to see anyone not play games. We can’t wait for him to get back.”
Mayfield’s absence has been felt the most on the penalty kill, as he’s typically a go-to for the Islanders when they’re down a man. Adam Pelech, Noah Dobson and Ryan Pulock have all seen their minutes increase at both five-on-five and the penalty kill over the last few games.
Meanwhile, rookie defenseman Samuel Bolduc has played in Mayfield’s spot on the Islanders’ third defense pairing with Aho over the last six games. Bolduc has yet to record a point and has averaged 8:25 of ice time this season.
Bolduc will more than likely come out of the lineup if Mayfield does play against the Capitals.
As for the rest of the Islanders lineup, it appears Semyon Varlamov will get the start in goal. Varlamov, a former Capital, is 1-1-0 this season with a 1.51 GAA and a .961 save percentage.
Varlamov put together a 34-save shutout in his last start, leading the Islanders to a 2-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 28.
Thursday’s game against the Capitals will be Varlamov’s third start of the season, all of which have come on the road.
Puck drop between the Islanders and Capitals from Capital One Arena is scheduled for just after 7 p.m. EST.
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