Islanders’ Cizikas and Kuhnhackl Out Remainder of NHL Playoffs

The New York Islanders sent out an injury update just before their Game 4 against the Tampa Bay Lightning and delivered some disappointing news for Isles fans.

The team announced that injured forwards Casey Cizikas and Tom Kuhnhackl are both out for the game, but worse yet, both players have left the bubble and will not return for the remainder of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

#Isles Injury Update: Casey Cizikas and Tom Kuhnhackl have sustained injuries. They both have left the bubble and will not return for the remainder of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Status updates will be provided at the conclusion of the playoffs.

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) September 13, 2020

While Kuhnhackl hasn’t played, Cizikas being out is unfortunate news for the team. He’s a player the Islanders usually rely heavily on as a veteran fourth-liner. 

You can see in the video below where Cizikas took an awkward hit behind the net, which is likely why he’s out the rest of the series and finals, if the Islanders make it that far.

This was Cizikas' last shift of GM2

A very physical shift, takes a awkward hit behind net #Isles pic.twitter.com/Me0ZobNGEE

— IslesBlog (@IslesBlog) September 13, 2020

Derrick Brassard will suit up between Ross Johnston and Leo Komarov on today’s fourth line.

How Nasty Will Game 4 Be?

Questions surrounding this Game 4 action will likely revolve around how nasty the game is going to get. The nastiness of Game 3 was evident and the intensity has increased as expected in a closely-contested series. How much more heated will it grow?

For the Islanders, is it smarter to ice a lineup that can compete physically or continue to try and roll with a roster that can compete offensively?

Next: Every NHL Team’s Most Likely Offseason Trade Piece: [Part 1]