OTTAWA, Ontario — The early prognosis doesn’t seem too bad, and Islanders goalie Robin Lehner was declared “day to day” by coach Barry Trotz on Thursday before his team swept a home-and-home with the Senators, taking a 4-2 victory.
Lehner remained back in New York, where he had been bulldozed by Senators forward Brady Tkachuk late in Tuesday’s 5-4 shootout win and had to leave the game with a presumed head injury.
Although Trotz said, “I can’t confirm or deny” that the injury was a concussion, it’s pretty clear Lehner was shaken up on the play. He wasn’t pulled from the game by the league spotter, but rather left the ice after a discussion with the team trainer.
He assuredly at least went through the league-mandated concussion protocol.
Forward Matt Martin made the trip and took part in the morning skate, but he missed his fourth straight game with an upper-body injury. He implied after the game that he would be ready to go soon.
Winger Cal Clutterbuck missed a second straight game with an upper-body injury, and Trotz called him “day-to-day.”
Clutterbuck was hit in the head with a puck while sitting on bench during Sunday’s 4-1 loss to the Flyers, and was not able to return.
Veteran forward Andrew Ladd was a healthy scratch after he had played four of the previous five games since returning from a long-term injury. Trotz said this was not just part of trying to ease him back into the lineup, but more that he wanted a penalty killer and so he brought Tom Kuhnhackl into the lineup.
“Without [Martin] and [Clutterbuck], we needed a penalty killer,” Trotz said. “Ladder has done it in the past, but it’s not there yet at this point.”
About midway through the game, Trotz moved rookie defenseman Devon Toews up to the first pair with Johnny Boychuk and moved the struggling Nick Leddy down with Scott Mayfield.
“Nick’s played a lot of hockey,” Trotz said. “Leds and Johnny were having a few rough games here. It hasn’t been really smooth for them. … So change it up a little bit.”
Whenever Clutterbuck or Martin are ready to return, one of the Islanders emergency call-ups is going to have to be sent down. It’s likely going to be Josh Ho-Sang, who didn’t play in either game since being called up on Tuesday.
The other call-up, Michael Dal Colle, has been impressive while skating on a “kids line” with Mathew Barzal and Anthony Beauvillier.
“Every time he’s come up, he’s played really well,” Trotz said. “He’s pushing some of the veterans to earn their keep.”