Isles Day to Day: Pageau Practices in Arizona

After missing Thursday's game with an illness, Jean-Gabriel Pageau was back on the ice on ice on Friday afternoon for the Islanders practice in Arizona.
Pageau was dealing with a similar ailment that kept captain Anders Lee out of Tuesday night's game in Chicago, but not one that was expected to keep the center out for long. In Pageau's absence on Thursday, Zach Parise shifted to center, with Kieffer Bellows playing on the left side. Head Coach Barry Trotz didn't announce any lineup decisions during his Friday availability.
Pageau has one assist in three games this season, but leads the Islanders with a 63.3 FOW% and has recorded 11 shots on goal, which is tied with Kyle Palmieri and Anthony Beauvillier for third.

BACK TO BACK:
The Islanders are kicking off their first of 19 back-to-back sets this season. That's a lot - likely to help the NHL facilitate an Olympic break - but "it is what it is" according to Trotz.
"It'll take a tough-minded group, the right determination and the right focus to get it done," Trotz said. "Sometimes you play your better games on the back-to-back, as long as you're not tired. To me, we're generally a four-line team for the most part, give me your best 12-18 minutes for most guys, the odd guy will get a few more, and you shouldn't be over taxed. If you do that, we'll be successful. I think our second game of back-to-backs have been pretty good the past few years, to me it's all mental. Can you handle it or are you going to make excuses, but it's time for us to not make excuses and just handle it."
Trotz is right, the team has been good, especially on the back end, but it'll be a challenge nonetheless.
Per Eric Hornick:
Under Barry Trotz, the Isles are 21-4-4 (.793) in back-ends. This is by far the best record of any NHL team in back-ends during this stretch. Tampa Bay has the next best record: 20-9-3 (.672).
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