WASHINGTON — Oliver Wahlstrom drew back into the fold for the Islanders on Wednesday, skating for the first time in eight games against the Capitals.
That came by dint of Julien Gauthier getting hurt during Tuesday’s win over the Oilers — he was declared out Wednesday with an upper-body injury, though he did travel to Washington — but it represented a major chance for Wahlstrom in the final year of his contract with the Islanders as he skated 11:39 with one shot on net in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Capitals.
“He made a couple nice plays, made a couple strong plays,” Islanders coach Lane Lambert said. “Made a great play in the third period winning a battle along the wall just over their blue line and setting up a real good scoring opportunity. I thought he went up and down. I thought he did what he’s supposed to do.”
If that is enough for him to stay in the lineup on Saturday in Carolina, Wahlstrom will take it.
But if Zach Parise is going to eschew retirement and sign with the Islanders in the near future — which would necessitate other roster moves once defenseman Adam Pelech is off long-term injured reserve and the Isles can no longer go over the salary cap — it means Wahlstrom will need to find the most impactful version of his game as soon as possible.
Parise is believed to be leaning toward an NHL return and has recently intensified his solo training at home in Minnesota.
That means not just filling in decently for Gauthier, but creating a real decision for Lambert upon Gauthier’s return to health.
Whether Wahlstrom did that Wednesday is not quite so clear.
The Isles’ last five games to finish the calendar year will all come against Metropolitan Division opposition, starting Wednesday. The Islanders then face the Hurricanes in Raleigh before seeing the Capitals and Penguins at home after the holidays and going to Pittsburgh on New Year’s Eve.
By a quirk in the schedule, that will be their last divisional game for six weeks — until the Stadium Series match against the Rangers at MetLife Stadium on Feb. 18.
Matt Martin (upper body) was activated off injured reserve but sat in the press box Wednesday as a healthy scratch.
Cal Clutterbuck briefly left the bench during the second period but returned and finished the game. Lambert said afterwards he was fine.
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