At some point, Maxim Shabanov would play alongside Mathew Barzal. That day is Tuesday night against the Dallas Stars.
After missing 12 games with an upper-body injury, Maxim Shabanov returned to the New York Islanders' lineup on Sunday night. Despite a 4-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche, the first-year NHL player looked strong playing on the fourth line before earning shifts in the top six later on in the game.
"I thought he played well," Islanders head coach Patrick Roy said following the game in Denver. "With the type of injury he had, upper body injury, you're curious to see how someone's going to react to contact because you don't really get hit in the practices. So I thought he didn't shy away from any of that."
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Because of how he looked, Roy will be starting him alongside Mathew Barzal and Jonathan Drouin on Tuesday night against the Dallas Stars.
Simon Holmstrom, who had been playing in that right-wing spot alongside Barzal, did not skate on Thursday morning and is a game-time decision due to illness, per the team.
If he can't play, it will be Maxim Tsyplakov drawing back into the lineup, likely skating alongside Casey Cizikas and Calum Ritchie on the club's fourth line.
Puck drop between the Islanders and the Stars comes your way at 8 PM ET on MSGSN2.