As sturdy as Maxim Tsyplakov has been in his rookie 12 months, taking penalties has been a problem all through.
And after Tsyplakov took a second penalty within the second interval of Saturday’s 6-3 Islanders win over the Penguins at UBS Area, coach Patrick Roy’s endurance ran out.
The Russian was demoted to the fourth line for the rest of the sport, switching spots with Casey Cizikas, with Roy citing the penalties afterward together with a lot of turnovers Tsyplakov made.
“A mix of both,” Roy stated. “We’re here to win hockey games. It’s not a charity event. It’s about winning hockey games and he wasn’t playing well. So that’s all it is.”
After Cizikas scored a pair of objectives following his promotion to Bo Horvat’s line, the quick query now turns into whether or not the Islanders begin Sunday’s recreation in Pittsburgh the way in which they completed Saturday’s.
“Playing with those guys, the way they see the ice, the way they can create opportunities, I’m just trying to play my game, get up the ice as quick as I can,” Cizikas stated. “Try and create a turnover or get in on the forecheck hard. That’s just something I really tried to focus on even when I did move up with them.”
That quick query apart, there’s the bigger-picture subject of how Tsyplakov may reply from a public callout from the top coach.
“Sippy had a so-so game,” Roy stated. “Two bad penalties, not necessary, and a couple turnovers. And Casey had so much jump, I thought that was a good time for him to step up and play with Bo and [Simon] Holmstrom.”
Roy stated pregame the Islanders’ tentative plan is to offer goalie Marcus Hogberg his first begin on the second finish of the back-to-back Sunday in Pittsburgh.
“That’s my job to be ready when they need me,” Hogberg stated. “It’s been feeling good in practice and then the periods that I’ve been playing.”
Mathew Barzal’s first-period help marked his first five-on-five level of the season.
Semyon Varlamov (decrease physique) nonetheless has but to begin skating on his personal, Roy stated.
With the Rangers’ loss to the Lightning, Saturday marked the primary time the Islanders have extra standings factors than the Blueshirts this late within the season since Dec. 11, 2022.
