Kyle MacLean was soaked in sweat, shirt sticking to his arms, and happy as can be.
Cal Clutterbuck had told him before Monday night’s game, “You always score when you’re not feeling well.”
Or at least Clutterbuck has, including the last time the Islanders played at Prudential Center.
The night before that November loss, Clutterbuck slept 15 hours, then went out and scored.
Kyle MacLean scored his fourth goal of the season in the third period of the Islanders’ victory Monday. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con No word on how long MacLean slept, but he did exit practice early Sunday with what he called flu-like symptoms.
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Islanders coach Patrick Roy said pregame he expected MacLean to play, but it wasn’t a sure thing until warmups.
“I was feeling it a lot more yesterday and then a little bit today,” the 24-year-old MacLean told The Post after scoring to help the Islanders clinch a playoff berth with a 4-1 win over the Devils. “I think I felt well enough to play today. When I woke up, I felt good enough. We kind of monitored it throughout the day, but I was good to go. I think yesterday might’ve been tough if the game was yesterday, but today I felt good.”
Good thing for the Islanders, too. MacLean’s emergence as a fourth-line center has helped solve a series of lineup problems for Roy, allowing Casey Cizikas to play up with a first line that has been nothing but effective since it’s been in place.
MacLean, whose speed and energy have proved a perfect complement to the grinding play of Clutterbuck and Matt Martin, has helped change the tenor of this season.
“He’s got my confidence,” Roy said.
It was only fitting against this team, for whom MacLean’s father, John, starred, that Kyle would score the goal that put a bow on the game, finishing off a pass from Anders Lee to make the game 4-1 at 6:17 of the third.
MacLean will make his playoff debut against the Hurricanes this weekend, hopefully feeling better.
“It’s been up and down all year,” he said, doubtless recalling that Lane Lambert was let go the day following his NHL debut in Chicago. “It’s been a battle. To clinch, to secure our spot in the playoffs, it’s big. It means a lot. Obviously, it’s nice getting it done before Game 82. We’re looking to make some noise in the playoffs now.”
The Islanders celebrates Kyle MacLean’s third-period goal during their win Monday against the Devils. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con Noah Dobson (upper body) did not make the trip to New Jersey, with Roy citing the one-off nature of the road trip as to why.
The defenseman is still day-to-day.
