Isles Day-to-Day: Shabanov In vs Kraken

Max Shabanov is expected to return to the lineup on Wednesday night against the Seattle Kraken after sitting out one game as a healthy scratch.

Shabanov has 15 points (4G, 11A) in 35 games this season for the Islanders, his rookie year in the NHL. The Russian winger is expected to skate with Max Tsyplakov, who is playing consecutive games for the first time since Jan. 1 and 3, and Casey Cizikas. Shabanov also skated on the Islanders second power-play unit.

"We want to put Shabby back in the lineup, so we want to give a shot at Tsyplakov and him playing with Casey," Head Coach Patrick Roy said. "Casey's playing so well he brings so much energy, so I feel like that could be a good fit for the three of them."

Cizikas said his approach won't change with different linemates and that he wants to make sure his line stays defensively responsible, but that when it's appropriate, Tsyplakov and Shabanov can let their skill shine through.

"Tsyplakov is a big body. He protects puck really well. He has a great shot," Cizikas said. "He's always looking to make a play. And that's the same with Shabby. Shabby elusive, he's a magician with the puck in his hands, and he's so good at entering the zone with it. The d-zone, that's kind of where I'm going to have to take over and just try to communicate as much as possible with with the two of them."

Cizikas said communication will be key.

"I just told them tonight, let's take care of the puck," Cizikas said. "Let's do the right things, if we need to dump it, dump it, but those guys are skilled where, if they have a chance to carry it in, they can carry it in, but we have to take care of the puck first and foremost."

Marc Gatcomb is expected to come out of the lineup in a corresponding move.

PROJECTED LINES

Anders Lee – Mathew Barzal – Anthony Duclair
Jonathan Drouin – JG Pageau – Simon Holmstrom
Kyle MacLean – Cal Ritchie – Emil Heineman
Max Shabanov – Casey Cizikas – Max Tsyplakov

Matthew Schaefer – Ryan Pulock
Adam Pelech – Tony DeAngelo
Adam Boqvist – Scott Mayfield

SOROKIN EXPECTED TO START

Ilya Sorokin is expected to start in goal for the Islanders on Wednesday. Sorokin is 16-11-2 with a 2.45 GAA, a .915 SV% and five shutouts. Sorokin has won his last two starts and four of his last five games.

CIZIKAS ON GIVING DUCLAIR HIS STICK

Cizikas hasn't assisted on any of Anthony Duclair's seven goals over the past seven games, but in a way, he's assisted on all of them.

Anthony Duclair revealed to reporters on Monday that he started using Cizikas' stick ahead of his breakout five-point game against the New Jersey Devils on Jan. 6 and has been red hot since. Cizikas shared a little of the process of how his stick came to be in the hands of Duclair.

"He just came up and asked if he could try it in practice. I'm not gonna say no," Cizikas said. "The sticks are similar, but they're different at the same time. So after the first time he grabbed it, that puck was coming off hot, and then he had that big night with it, and the rest is history."

Cizikas said it's common for players to try out each other's sticks and he'd made a similar midseason adjustment last year using one of Brock Nelson's sticks.

"You try everything. I mean, it's a long season. Sometimes you just kind of want to feel something different," Cizikas said. "Last year I switched my stick, I grabbed one of Nelly's sticks, like the way it felt, like the way it handled and that's what I'm using now. It just says Cizikas on it now."

It's a different setup for goalies, who have fewer teammates to borrow from and more particular setups. Head Coach Patrick Roy said he never really tried out the gear of his goalie partners, but understood how a change could benefit a player.

"Sometimes it's good for the mental side of the game," Roy said. "And [Duclair's] been scoring almost every game since, so hope he doesn't break that stick."