trim_14028474-D033-4FF6-B654-3A09671C9AFC New York Islanders [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/]forward Casey Cizikas was present when the team skated on Monday before flying to Montreal, lining up between Matt Martin and Hudson Fasching. However, per Newsday's Andrew Gross [https://x.com/AGrossNewsday/status/1863986772817903933], Cizikas was absent at morning skate ahead of their Tuesday night showdown against the Canadiens. Skating is in his place, as the fourth-line center is Pierre Engvall. Engvall was expected to be a healthy scratch for a second straight game, with head coach Patrick Roy making it abundantly clear that if No. 18 wants to stay in the lineup, he must crash the net. Cizikas, 33, has just one goal and one assist in 25 games, winning 51.9 percent of his face-offs. "Casey is an energy player for us, and it doesn't matter if I play him on the wing or at center. He's going to react well, and I've been very happy with him," Roy said. "He knows the game. He knows what we're trying to do, and he's accepting his role very well." The Islanders announced that Cizikas will be a game-time decision. Forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who missed the last two games but skated on Monday, is also a game-time decision. If neither can play, the Islanders will have to run 11 forwards and seven defensemen as they did on Saturday in their 3-0 shutout win against the Buffalo Sabres.
