Cal Clutterbuck injury further jeopardizes fourth line
Head coach Barry Trotz of the Islanders looks on against the Washington Capitals during the first period in Game Two of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on August 14, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario. Credit: Getty Images/Elsa
The Islanders’ fourth-line health may again be jeopardized.
Injuries to all three limited the identity-setting trio of Casey Cizikas between Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin to playing just 19 of the Islanders’ 68 regular-season games together. Now, Clutterbuck’s status is uncertain after he departed Tuesday night’s 3-2 loss to the Capitals in Game 4 of their first-round series at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto at 15:25 of the second period after defenseman Radko Gudas upended him with a low check along the right boards.
Islanders coach Barry Trotz did not have an immediate update. But he hinted he wasn’t thrilled with Gudas’ check.
“Any time you come in low on a guy like that, that’s a little bit of an unwritten rule,” Trotz said. “Cal could have gotten rid of the puck sooner.”
The hit came at the end of Clutterbuck’s lengthy shift of two minutes, 39 seconds, most of it hemmed in the defensive zone.
Closing time
The Islanders have twice failed to complete a sweep this postseason. They also lost Game 3 of their best-of-five qualifier with the Panthers, 3-2, before ending the series with a 5-1 win in Game 4.
“This is a different situation,” captain Anders Lee said. “We can’t be dwelling on the past. We just have to reset.”
Notes & quotes
Alex Ovechkin’s second goal moved the Capitals captain into 18th place on the all-time NHL list with 69 career playoff goals . . . There was a moment of silence for Hall of Famer Dale Hawerchuk, who passed away on Tuesday at age 57 because of stomach cancer. Islanders’ broadcaster Butch Goring said Hawerchuk called him about three hours before he died to make sure Goring was doing OK…The Islanders kept their lineup intact for a fifth straight game, a longer stretch than they had all regular season or in last year’s eight-game playoff run.
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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