Islanders activate Valtteri Filppula, send Josh Ho-Sang to Bridgeport
Islanders right wing Josh Ho-Sang looks on before a faceoff against the Detroit Red Wings in the second period of a game at NYCB Live's Nassau Coliseum on Dec. 15, 2018. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Valtteri Filppula’s return to the Islanders’ lineup resulted in Josh Ho-Sang’s latest departure to Bridgeport (AHL).
The Islanders activated Filppula off injured reserve for Tuesday night’s 4-3 loss to the Hurricanes at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum after the third-line center and key penalty killer missed two games with an upper-body injury.
Ho-Sang, who spent time on both the top line and the third line, had one goal and one assist in 10 games after being recalled from Bridgeport.
“We need more production than that,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. “Some of the details in his game (slipped) say in the last five games. We had a few talks. He didn’t clean it up. He’ll work on it in Bridgeport. Every time they come up, they get better and better.”
Ho-Sang the 28th overall pick in 2014, now has seven goals and 17 assists in 53 NHL games.
His latest demotion meant rookie Michael Dal Colle remained in the lineup for the fifth game, turning in a strong 11:41 with Trotz calling him one of the team’s more consistent players.
No. 600
Fourth-line left wing Matt Martin logged 12:32 with five hits in his 600th NHL regular-season game, saying it was a “milestone for sure ... hopefully I still have a bunch more in the tank.”
Martin, 29, made his NHL debut with two assists in the Islanders’ 4-3 shootout win over the Predators, then coached by Trotz, on Feb. 9, 2010.
“I always joke I had a whole bottle of Tums,” Martin said. “You never really know how long you’re going to be in the league. But I remember the first one like it was yesterday.”
Isles files
The Islanders are now 3-1-1 at the Coliseum . . . Forwards Ross Johnston and Tom Kuhnhackl and defenseman Luca Sbisa were the healthy scratches.
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.
