The New York Islanders will be without one of their top defenseman on Tuesday night when they take on their crosstown rivals, the New York Rangers.
Less than an hour before faceoff the team announced that defenseman Johnny Boychuk will not play due to flu like symptoms. He is currently considered to be day-to-day. Earlier in the day Islanders coach Jack Capuano said that there was something going around the Islanders’ dressing room, and it is going to keep Boychuk out of the lineup. He has not missed a game this season until Tuesday.
In 24 games this season for the Islanders he has nine points (four goals, five assists) while logging more than 20 minutes of ice time per game.
Scott Mayfield will take Boychuk’s spot in the lineup and play alongside Thomas Hickey on the team’s second defensive pairing.
After losing 14 of their first 20 games to start the season, the Islanders enter play on Tuesday a 3-0-1 record in their past four games.