Islanders shuffling lines pays off —but finding…
The Islanders introduced a wholly different set of ahead lines with them to Philadelphia.
After getting beat 5-0 by the Sabres on home ice Saturday, all 4 lines had been switched up Monday against the Flyers, and Cal Ritchie was out due to a lower-body injury.
Ritchie was called day-to-day by the staff, while Simon Holmstrom also missed the sport due to sickness.
Marc Gatcomb drew back in for Ritchie, with coach Patrick Roy reuniting the fourth line of Gatcomb, Casey Cizikas and Kyle MacLean that had appreciable success before being damaged up.
Anders Lee and Maxim Tsyplakov — initially supposed to be a healthy scratch before Holmstrom got here down sick — performed on the third line on either facet of Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Jonathan Drouin skated with Mathew Barzal and Anthony Duclair, while Max Shabanov jumped up to the top line with Bo Horvat and Emil Heineman.
The new-look lines did produce some much-needed outcomes, serving to spur the Islanders to a 4-0 win.
Philadelphia Flyers’ Nick Seeler, left, and New York Islanders’ Marc Gatcomb collide during the first period of an NHL hockey sport Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, in Philadelphia. AP
“We try a bit of a mix of everything,” Roy told reporters in Philadelphia before the sport. “Mostly Bo’s been playing really well with, let’s say, Heiny. So, feel comfortable to put a guy like Shabby there. Barzy’s been playing well with Anthony Duclair [but] lately with Anders, the line was not performing as well as we wish.”
The configuration did come down to the ultimate minutes before the sport, as Holmstrom had skated in the morning on Barzal’s line, prompting more adjustments when he was made a scratch.
“A lot of talk, a lot of communication on the ice, makes it way easier when you’re on the ice and you know where your teammates are,” Pageau said after scoring twice, the second off Tsyplakov’s backhand feed. “When one guy was in trouble, we supported him quick in the corners. Same on the forecheck.”
Saturday’s loss marked the first time in over a month the Islanders had dropped back-to-back video games, and put them at risk of dropping three in a row for just the third time all season.
Max Shabanov #49 of the New York Islanders skates against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Xfinity Mobile Arena on January 26, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NHLI via Getty Images
The line shuffling, though, has been going on for for much longer than that, as the Islanders have struggled to discover any mixtures that can deliver them some needed consistency.
One sport, of course, doesn’t let you know a lot about whether or not they’ll obtain that right here. But it’s a good signal at least.
Ilya Sorokin’s 21 saves had been his fewest in a shutout since Oct. 17, 2023, when he had a 14-save shutout against the Arizona Coyotes.
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