Islanders coach Lane Lambert says Christmas break is welcome respite for team
Islanders head coach Lane Lambert of the New York Islanders looks on from the bench during the first period against the Sharks at UBS Arena on Tuesday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
RALEIGH, N.C. — Lane Lambert thinks his team could use a break. Then again, the Islanders’ coach figures every NHL team is looking forward to the three-day Christmas break, which starts on Sunday.
“For them, it’s shut their mind out of the game,” Lambert said. “You’ve got to do some form of physical activity over the course of the three days. I know they will, whether it be a bike ride or whatever it might be.”
Saturday night’s 5-4 win over the Hurricanes at PNC Arena was the Islanders’ 11th game in 22 days. They will begin a two-game homestand against the Penguins on Wednesday at UBS Arena, but eight of their next 10 games after that are on the road.
Lambert said he believes this break in the action comes at the right time for the Islanders.
“Yeah, I do,” he said. “Everybody else is probably in the same category.”
And will Lambert be able to shut off his mind to hockey for three days?
“Not totally, but certainly I’ll try,” he said. “Got family coming in, so I’ll enjoy the break with the kids.”
Gauthier back in
Third-line right wing Julien Gauthier logged 8:13 after missing Wednesday’s 3-2 overtime loss in Washington. Gauthier said he had his cornea scratched by a helmet in the second period of Tuesday’s 3-1 win over the Oilers at UBS Arena, blurring his vision.
It meant Oliver Wahlstrom went back to being a healthy scratch for the ninth time in 10 games.
“It was a good showing of confidence that they wanted me back in the lineup,” Gauthier said. “It’s good to get back into it and not skip anything.”
“You can think back about how many times he drove the puck to the net and used that speed,” Lambert said before Saturday's game. “I’ve liked him on that line.”
Gauthier has two goals and three assists in 15 games.
Grant Hutton and Matt Martin remained the other 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.
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