Josh Ho-Sang has never gone about things quietly. But now that the Islanders’ flashy young winger was called up from AHL Bridgeport on Sunday, it’s to be seen how he deals with his new situation.
It was very likely that was going to start with a healthy scratch Monday night, when the Isles went back to the Coliseum for their second game there this season, playing host to the Penguins. Having put up two goals and 22 points in 26 games with the Sound Tigers this season, the 22-year-old Ho-Sang was called up as insurance just in case one of the other Islanders’ forwards couldn’t play.
But putting in long work at an optional skate Monday morning showed Ho-Sang was not expected to play. And head coach Barry Trotz hardly feels any pressure to put him in the lineup for however long he is up with the big club.
“Zero. I have zero pressure to put him in the lineup,” Trotz said. “You can’t go in going, ‘I’ve got to get this guy in the lineup because, what? He’s got two goals in the AHL, or he’s a prospect or where he was drafted?’ We don’t work that way.”
Ho-Sang was taken by the Islanders with the 28th-overall pick in 2014, and then infamously overslept for his first training camp, with then-general manager Garth Snow making him run the stairs at the Coliseum before sending him back to his junior club. During the ensuing years, he has played 43 games in the NHL and shown flashes of brilliant on-ice talent while also having a penchant for speaking his mind — like he did with The Post a few weeks ago when he said he thought he wasn’t getting a fair shake from management or his AHL coaches.
“We feel he had to stake a step back and grow, on and off the ice,” Trotz said. “I think he’s done that. And now the process is: Can he step forward? If he’s in, play well. If he’s not, then how do you react to that?”Winger Cal Clutterbuck took a cross-check to the face from Penguins defenseman Kris Letang with 7:31 remaining in regulation, falling to the ice in a heap and not returning. Clutterbuck had started the altercation with a small shot to Letang after play had been whistled dead.
Trotz didn’t have an immediate update on his status.
The status of Jordan Eberle was also uncertain after the winger left the game with 1:05 remaining in regulation and did not return.
“We were scrambling a little bit on the bench,” Trotz said. “We’ll get you updates.”
Goalie Robin Lehner made his first start since Nov. 29, having been dealing with a slight injury the team called “a tweak.” Lehner was solid in making 23 saves, which included a great right-pad save on an open look for Phil Kessel in front just 2:35 into the game.
“I thought he made some real difficult saves early in key moments,” Trotz said. “That was a good game for him to come back.”
Tom Kuhnhackl missed his second straight game with an undisclosed injury, while rugged winger Ross Johnston stayed in and joined a line with Valtteri Filppula and Leo Komarov