Cal Clutterbuck, Derick Brassard out of Islanders' lineup for Game 5
Islanders right wing Cal Clutterbuck takes out Capitals center Nic Dowd during the second period of an NHL Eastern Conference Stanley Cup playoff game in Toronto on Aug. 12. Credit: AP/Nathan Denette
After Thursday’s morning skate, Cal Clutterbuck told Islanders coach Barry Trotz he was physically not ready for that night’s Game 5 against the Capitals.
That was one lineup change Trotz made for the 4-0 win at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto that eliminated the Capitals, moving Leo Komarov from Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s third line to Clutterbuck’s fourth-line spot. Then Trotz placed Ross Johnston and Michael Dal Colle on Pageau’s line and sat Derick Brassard.
“Derick has played very well. We just felt it would be a different style of game,” Trotz said. “We needed some more weight and grind to spend more time in their zone.”
Johnston logged 10:02 with a shot and four hits in his NHL playoff debut. Dal Colle had three hits in 9:22 in his second career playoff game and first of this postseason.
Been a while
Semyon Varlamov made 21 saves for his third career playoff shutout and his first since he had two for the Capitals in a first-round series against the Rangers in 2009.
The Islanders’ defensive effort kept many shots from getting through — they had 31 blocked shots — but Varlamov was sharp when tested. He denied Richard Panik at the left post at 8:51 of the first period, then slid to his left to glove Nicklas Backstrom’s one-timer at 1:22 of the third period.
“I think we did a tremendous job tonight,” Varlamov said. “All of the defense was solid in front of me. Guys were battling. Guys tried to block all the shots coming to the net. We did a great job penalty-killing.”
The Capitals were held to one shot on their two power plays.
Isles files
Defenseman Scott Mayfield blocked a game-high six shots . . . Brock Nelson won 14 of 21 faceoffs . . . Backstrom returned after being knocked into concussion protocol on a first-period check by Anders Lee in Game 1.
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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