New York Islanders coach Doug Weight said secondary scoring has been important during a 7-1-2 stretch. Top-line center John Tavares has seven points (one goal, six assists) in his past seven games, and Weight said he's happy with the way other players have stepped up. Josh Bailey has eight points (five goals, three assists), Andrew Ladd and Brock Nelson each have four goals, and Ryan Strome has six points (two goals, four assists). "Secondary scoring is very important; 'vital' is a good word," Weight said. "And Johnny has played well. You get that third assist five times and you set a guy up or you shoot and it gets blocked and three other guys touch it and it goes in. So he's not … he's on his game. But to get those other guys included, not just on the sheet to win hockey games because we needed all those goals to win the games, but it's great confidence-wise and it's great to be able to roll the bench and know these guys are on their games now."
Flyers team scope
Defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere will return to the Philadelphia Flyers lineup. The Flyers have gone 122:49 without a goal, and Gostisbehere, who had been scratched for the past three games, has a high-end offensive game. He is second among Flyers defensemen with 21 points (four goals, 17 assists) in 48 games, but his Philadelphia-worst minus-19 rating is what has kept him out of the lineup. He was one of the few Flyers on the ice for an optional morning skate Thursday. Coach Dave Hakstol said Wednesday he's liked what he has seen from Gostisbehere during the time the young defenseman has been scratched. "He's got some good work in, that's what we've been asking him the last week," Hakstol told the Flyers website. "He's got some great work in, good practices. … Been a good stretch for him to have some real quality practice time and work at some things and get some real hard work in."
