The New York Islanders are waiting to see if captain Bo Horvat can play Saturday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The team pulled him from Thursday’s game right after he took a hard hit to the head. Frank Nazar of the Chicago Blackhawks delivered the illegal check that knocked Horvat out. The league’s concussion spotters saw the hit and sent Horvat to the locker room immediately.
Coach Pete DeBoer said the team is still figuring out the next steps. “I think he’s going to see our people again this morning and see how he feels,” DeBoer said. The team did not have a full practice on Friday. Horvat sat out of the optional session at UBS Arena. His status for the weekend game remains uncertain as the medical staff checks on him.
The Hit and the Suspension
Things got heated late in the third period of Thursday’s match. The Islanders led 3-1 with 1:33 left on the clock. Horvat shot the puck into the empty net for his second goal of the game. He was upended by a shoulder to the head area right after the shot. Nazar received a five-minute match misconduct for the illegal check to the head. Following a Friday hearing, the league suspended Nazar for two games. This penalty removes him from the lineup for two upcoming Blackhawks contests.
Players on both sides had strong words about the play. Emil Heineman called it a cheap shot. “It’s a cheap shot I would say. I don’t like to see that and I like the way we responded,” Heineman said. He noted that the team has to stick up for its own. “They go after one of our guys…whatever it is we have to stick up for one of ours and I think we did that,” he added. Per Audacy, Logan Stanley also spoke up to support his captain.
Team Reaction and Leadership
The Islanders feel the loss of their top scorer. Horvat leads the team with four goals in just four games. He also led the squad with 31 goals last season. He was the only Islander named to an Olympic team. Losing him hurts the offense. Kyle Palmieri thinks the hit was too rough. “I definitely think [the hit] was over the line,” Palmieri said. He also noted that the game moves fast and players must protect themselves.
Coach DeBoer agreed that the call was correct. “I think they got the call right. We’ll see, but you don’t like to see that on anybody,” DeBoer said. The team is in the early stages of getting their leader back. “We’re still in the initial phase of return to play,” DeBoer noted. The staff is not ready to discuss long-term plans yet. “We’re not even having those conversations yet,” he stated.
Looking Ahead for the Islanders
Islanders fans need to watch the news closely before Saturday night. The team needs Horvat to keep their early-season pace going. He was the only player to score twice in the win against Chicago. While the team responded well to the hit, the injury to their captain is the main story. The Blackhawks lose a key player too, but the Islanders face a bigger immediate risk.
Logan Stanley showed his support for the group. “That’s our captain…that’s our leader. It doesn’t matter who it is. You come after one of us…you gotta come after all of us,” Stanley said. He credited the team for sticking up for Horvat. The team will need that same unity if Horvat cannot play. The Lightning present a tough test if the Islanders are without their top center. The next 24 hours will decide the lineup for the weekend.
