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Islanders prepared to play with, or without, Mathew Barzal in Game 6

Mathew Barzal of the New York Islanders against the Philadelphia Flyers during the second period in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Second Round at Scotiabank Arena on August 26, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario. Credit: Getty Images/Elsa

The Islanders have a Plan A and a Plan B for their lineup that hinges on the availability of top-line center Mathew Barzal for Thursday night’s Game 6 of their second-round series against the Flyers at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

Islanders coach Barry Trotz said Barzal would be a “game-time decision” after exiting the Islanders’ 4-3 overtime loss in Tuesday night’s Game 5 as he took an inadvertent high stick from Claude Giroux at 15:13 of the third period and was bloodied near the right eye.