Josh Bailey reinstated into Islanders' lineup as Anthony Beauvillier sits
Florida Panthers' goalie Spencer Knight keeps his eyes on the puck and New York Islanders Josh Bailey (12) during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022, in Sunrise, Fla. Credit: AP/Michael Laughlin
SUNRISE, Fla. – Josh Bailey’s spell as a healthy scratch lasted one game.
How long Anthony Beauvillier will be one remains to be seen.
Coach Lane Lambert re-inserted Bailey, the longest-tenured Islander, while sitting Beauvillier for Sunday afternoon’s 3-2 loss to the Panthers at FLA Live Arena.
“We’re here right now so that’s all I’m worried about,” Bailey said.
Bailey went back in for Nikita Soshnikov, whose one-game stint included a bad turnover that led to Nicholas Paul’s buzzer-beating goal at the end of the second period that gave the Lightning a 4-2 lead.
“He would like to have one, little, thing back but I thought he played well,” Lambert said of Soshnikov, who logged 10:26 in his second game as an Islander. “He used his speed. I thought he did what he needed to do.”
Lambert also inserted burly Ross Johnston for his first game this season at the expense of Beauvillier, a top-six fixture who scored his second goal of the season on Saturday and also has one assist in five games.
Bailey’s march toward his 1,000th game – he played in his 998th on Sunday – was temporarily halted when Lambert sat him for Saturday night’s road 5-3 loss to the Lightning. He is without a point in five games.
“We’re moving on from that situation,” Lambert said when asked about Bailey’s lack of production and how that factored in his decision. “But there are people that are warranted to produce numbers. They’re trying. It just has to happen.”
Isles files
Lambert said defenseman Noah Dobson had no lingering issues after taking a puck to the throat in the first period and briefly retreating to the Islanders’ dressing room…The Islanders killed off four power plays and their penalty kill is now a franchise-record 22-for-22 to start the season…Kieffer Bellows remained the other healthy scratch.
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.
