MONTREAL — Jean-Gabriel Pageau was back in the Islanders lineup on Tuesday, but for the time being, Simon Holmstrom has successfully Wally Pipped Pageau out of a top-line role.
Two straight two-goal games for a player who had never done such a thing in the NHL will do that.
Holmstrom stayed up with Anders Lee and Bo Horvat, while Pageau centered a newly constructed third line with Kyle MacLean and Oliver Wahlstrom on either side as the Islanders lost to the Canadiens, 2-1, in overtime on Nick Suzuki’s winner.
After missing the last two games with a lower-body injury, Pageau said there were no worries about re-aggravating it.
“That’s why I sat a couple games, just to make sure it’s not getting worse,” Pageau said before skating 14:28, the least ice time he’s seen since mid-October. “Sometimes it’s almost mental, too. Your brain’s telling you you can’t go, it would’ve gotten worse. And now I’m feeling good to go. It’s not in my head. I’m not worried about it.”
Tuesday’s match against the Canadiens marked the first time MacLean and Pageau had ever played together on a line, and the first time Pageau had been with Wahlstrom since Feb. 24 of last season.
For MacLean and Wahlstrom, who have almost exclusively played on the fourth line this season and who have struggled to contribute offensively, it also represented an opportunity to be used in a slightly different role.
“He’s a really smart player,” MacLean told The Post of Pageau. “He does a lot of little things really well. A lot of details. He’s got a really good stick. Smart with the puck, so just playing with him and reading off him, him reading off us. Hopefully it clicks and we’ll be able to create some chances and be effective.”
After seeing his lowest ice time since 2022-23 on Saturday and sitting late in the 3-0 win over Buffalo, Noah Dobson’s playing time was back to normal as he skated 24:40.
If Holmstrom continues to mesh with Lee and Horvat, coach Patrick Roy said Monday that Pageau could play with Mat Barzal and Anthony Duclair once the injured pair returns.
Grant Hutton rejoined the lineup on the third defense pair, with Dennis Cholowski becoming a healthy scratch.
After missing Monday’s practice with a lower-body injury, Semyon Varlamov traveled to Montreal and backed up Ilya Sorokin in nets.