Islanders' Johnny Boychuk returns from knee injury

Johnny Boychuk returned to action Tuesday night after missing a game with a sore knee, courtesy of a borderline hit by the Kings' Kyle Clifford on Thursday in Los Angeles.

Boychuk got a clean bill of health from the Isles' orthopedist Monday and, after only a morning skate, was ready to go.

"It felt pretty good," Boychuk said after the skate. "Every day it's getting better."

Boychuk's knee did not feel good after the knee-on-knee hit in the second period of the Isles' 2-1 shootout win over the Kings. Clifford appeared to widen his stance as he went in to hit Boychuk below the goal line; after the knees hit, Boychuk stayed down in an awkward position for a few seconds before heading to the bench.

He stayed in that game, but perhaps shouldn't have. "I definitely felt it," he said. "Throughout that game, it just got worse."

And safe to say Boychuk wasn't pleased with Clifford's hit, which drew neither an on-ice penalty nor any supplemental discipline from the league.

"When I saw it again, it didn't look like a good hit," Boychuk said. "I'm just happy it wasn't as bad as it could have been."

Brian Strait, who played against Arizona on Saturday, came back out of the lineup as a healthy scratch to make room for Boychuk.

Bailey getting closer

Josh Bailey (broken hand) missed his eighth game, but he might not miss any more.

Bailey skated with the Islanders who chose to take the ice for Tuesday morning's optional and, with two days until the Isles play next, Bailey is likely to be ready to return Friday against the Panthers in Sunrise.

Jack Capuano did make one forward change, putting Cory Conacher back in the lineup with Eric Boulton out. Boulton played the previous three games, all wins, but tweaked something in practice Monday and had to sit out Tuesday night.