Ryan Strome had two assists against the Lightning in the series opener. In Game 2, he played the fourth-most minutes of any Islanders forward. On Tuesday, he was a healthy scratch for the third time in the playoffs.
Heading into Game 4 on Friday in Brooklyn, even coach Jack Capuano sounded like he didn’t yet know what his plans were for the 22-year-old forward.
“When you go up and down the lineup — and I’m looking at it now — you’ve got tough decisions to make on a daily basis,” Capuano said Wednesday. “Overall, Ryan knows what he needs to do to play better, but it’s not like he’s played poorly.