CHICAGO — The Islanders headed out here on Friday to begin a three-game swing through the Western Conference. They were in need of a change.
Not necessarily on the roster, though that ever-shifting group altered again with Shane Prince staying behind due to a lower-body injury and bruising forward Ross Johnston, who leads the AHL with 113 penalty minutes, brought up.
The real adjustment for Doug Weight’s crew has to come from the top of the lineup.
“It’s the time of the year to follow your best players,” Weight said. “Our top two lines, our veterans, our leaders have to lead us.