New York Islanders forwards Cal Clutterbuck and Kyle Palmieri are still out, according to head coach Lane Lambert, as they will miss Tuesday night’s tilt against the St. Louis Blues at UBS Arena.
Clutterbuck has missed each of the Islanders’ previous two games due to an upper-body injury that is not related to his surgically repaired shoulder.
He participated in the team’s optional morning skate ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Blues, but remained out with he extra skaters.
“He’s skating so it’s great for his progress,” Lambert said.
Hudson Fasching filled in for Clutterbuck on the Islanders’ fourth line during their Sunday-night victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. He’ll figure to slot in that same role on Tuesday.
As for Palmieri, he’s been on injured reserve since Nov. 21 after sustaining an upper-body injury against the Toronto Maple Leafs. While Tuesday night will be the seventh consecutive game that he’s missed, Lambert revealed that Palmieri has begun skating with the team.
Simon Holmstrom is expected to continue filling in for Palmieri on the third line alongside Zach Parise and Jean-Gabriel Pageau. He finally recorded the first shots of his NHL career on Sunday against the Blackhawks — his sixth game in the pros.
“As he moves along here and gains a little bit more confidence or comfort or whatever it may be,” Lambert began, “we’ll see a bit more of [offensive aggression].”
