Isles' Hudson Fasching making case for more playing time
Hudson Fasching of the Islanders skates against the Capitals at UBS Arena on Nov. 11. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Hudson Fasching has struggled to find a set role in the Islanders’ lineup this season.
He’s used to that, having bounced between the NHL and AHL in the Sabres’ and Coyotes’ organizations before securing a spot with the Islanders last season after a call-up from their Bridgeport (AHL) affiliate. That earned him some rare career security with a two-year, one-way, $1.55 million deal.
Yet he was a healthy scratch in seven of the Islanders’ first 15 games before filling in for an injured Matt Martin on the fourth line for the final two games of the just-completed four-game western swing.
He has seemed to invigorate the venerable “Identity Line” with Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck.
“I always have to believe in myself,” Fasching said after scoring his first goal of the season as the Islanders snapped an 0-4-3 skid with a 5-4, four-round shootout win over the Flames on Saturday night.
“We’ve got a good team. We’ve got to rotate guys in and out. If I’m not in the lineup, it is what it is and I’ve got to try and find a way to add value to the team and stay in the lineup.”
The Islanders, who traveled back to Long Island from Calgary on Sunday, will not play again until Wednesday night against the Flyers at UBS Arena.
Even if Martin has recovered from his upper-body issue, it may be tough to take Fasching out of the lineup. He logged 11:13 and was strong on the forecheck against the Flames.
He snapped a rising wrist shot from the slot to tie Saturday’s game at 1 at 16:52 of the first period.
Fasching, 28, had 10 goals and nine assists in 49 games for the Islanders last season after accumulating one goal and two assists in his first 38 NHL games.
“It feels good to get the first one,” Fasching said. “That one is always one to get out of the way.”
Third-line right wing Oliver Wahlstrom scored the deciding shootout goal but was a minus-4 in 11:40. Perhaps Fasching will revert to Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s trio with Anders Lee in lieu of Wahlstrom if Martin can play.
“He’s got some speed there,” coach Lane Lambert said of Fasching. “He’s a headsy hockey player. A guy who sees the play well. He protects the puck down low well.
“They [the fourth line] play the same way. They get pucks in. Nothing changes if you’ve got Matty on the line or Hudson on the line.”
Fasching lined up almost exclusively on Pageau’s line before these last two games, but he does feel as if it’s a fit with Cizikas and Clutterbuck’s high-energy, physical style.
“It’s great playing with those guys,” Fasching said. “They’re hard-nosed players. They forecheck really well. It makes it predictable. It makes it easier to play with. We know where they’re going to be. We’re a good forechecking line. We get the pucks back quite often and make some plays out of it.”
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
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