Barzal, Couturier game-time decisions for Islanders, Flyers in Game 6

Mathew Barzal and Sean Couturier are game-time decisions when the New York Islanders play the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Second Round at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, SN, TVAS).

Barzal, an Islanders center, left Game 5 on Tuesday with 4:47 remaining in the third period after being hit in the face by Flyers forward Claude Giroux's stick.
Philadelphia extended the best-of-7 series with a 4-3 overtime win. New York has a 3-2 lead. The winner will face the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Final.
Islanders coach Barry Trotz said Thursday that he has a Plan A and Plan B for their lineup, based on whether Barzal can play or not. He had said Wednesday that his level of concern about Barzal's availability was "just probably moderate."
Barzal has skated with Anders Lee and Jordan Eberle on New York's top line and has 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in 14 games this postseason.
"Everything's trending in the right area, so hopefully by tomorrow we'll give you a more specific answer on that," Trotz said Wednesday. "But everything's trending in the right direction right now."
Flyers coach Alain Vigneault did not have an update on Couturier on Thursday and said he would make any lineup decisions before the game.
"Obviously not everybody is 100 percent at this time of the year," Vigneault said. "We'll do our best to put the best lineup that we feel is going to give us a chance of winning."
The center did not play in the third period or overtime after he collided with Barzal with 2:34 remaining in the second. He's scored nine points (two goals, seven assists) in 14 postseason games.
If Barzal is unable to play, Otto Koivula is the only extra center the Islanders have in Toronto, the Eastern hub city. Jean-Gabriel Pageau played with Lee and Eberle after Barzal left the game. Forwards Leo Komarov and Derick Brassard have also played center for New York in the past.
Koivula hasn't played this postseason; his last game was March 5 at the Ottawa Senators. He did not have a point in 12 regular-season games.
"The guys that are not in the lineup, they're ready to jump in if we have to go there," Trotz said. "I'm not worried about that aspect. I think everybody that we've put into the lineup has responded pretty well."

Michael Raffl, Connor Bunnaman and Morgan Frost are among the options to replace Couturier if he is unable to play, and Giroux could be shifted from left wing to center.
Raffl played Games 1 and 2 of this series but has been scratched since.
"Nobody can replace (Couturier). (He's) is one if the best two-way centers in the league, plays that 200-foot game, very dependable and trustworthy," Vigneault said. "We'll see what unfolds here tonight. There's no doubt that whoever is in the lineup, guys have to play well because we definitely have to be at our best tonight."
Trotz gave his players the day off Wednesday after they rallied with two goals in 1:33 late in the third period to force overtime. The Islanders and Flyers will each play their 15th game of the postseason Thursday.
"Today, we didn't do anything," Trotz said. "We're going to take a little bit of a mental break from this. We've been sort of going at this for about two months now, and people don't realize we've been in the bubble for about 5-6 weeks here, but it started beforehand. You're pushing the guys to get to a place mentally so they could have some success, and we've got through two series already. We'll get them energized, and they'll be ready tomorrow. There's no question. I don't have any fear. I'm actually enjoying today in a sense that we're getting some work done, going to have some conversations and we're going to be ready to go tomorrow.
"This is where you find out everything about each individual player, if they're willing to go that extra mile. We've got to go that extra mile, just as every player at this time of the year, in this format, is doing."
NHL.com deputy managing editor Adam Kimelman contributed to this report