Mathew Barzal and Adam Pelech returned to the New York Islanders' lineup after extended absences due to injuries, with Barzal missing 21 games and Pelech recovering from a puck injury. Their return comes amid a challenging injury situation for the Islanders, who also placed goaltender Semyon Varlamov on injured reserve.

Despite injuries to key players like Anthony Duclair and Bo Horvat, the Islanders had found some success, winning three of their last four games. Barzal, in particular, expressed relief at returning to the team and praised the medical staff for their support during his recovery.