The New York Islanders are in must-win territory in Game 3 of their first-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes, but reinforcements may be on the way after defenseman Alexander Romanov was spotted at the morning skate on Friday.
Romanov rotated in and out of line rushes and the penalty kill, but it's still unclear whether he will play in a crucial Game 3, according to Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News.
“I feel ready to go, but I still don't know if I will play or not,” Romanov told Rosner following the skate.
Romanov peeps #Isles pic.twitter.com/zJugiRuAEW
— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) April 21, 2023
The 23-year-old suffered an upper-body injury on Apr. 1 and missed the final five games of the regular season as well as the first two postseason contests, both losses, for New York.
“He skated this morning here, so we'll see how he's feeling, and then we'll make a decision from that,” Islanders coach Lane Lambert said. “He's been skating on his own, and he's been in situations where, where he's been able to do that, so we'll see what happens with him.”
Romanov was solid for the Islanders after being traded from the Montreal Canadiens last summer, setting a career-high with 22 points in 76 games and turning into an important piece of the squad's penalty kill.
The 215-pound defenseman has been sorely missed for his physical play and ability to win puck battles, two factors that are absolutely crucial come playoff time.
“Hopefully we get him in tonight,” Islanders captain Mathew Barzal said. “I'm not sure what the status is, but anytime you get a player back it's a boost. If he's in, I know he's going to be doing his thing.”
The Islanders need to win Game 3, and with or without Alexander Romanov, Friday night's game could decide their season.
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