Fasching stealing Martin’s Identity

RALEIGH, N.C. — Matt Martin did come off injured reserve before Wednesday’s game, but it would be a surprise to see the Identity Line reunited anytime soon.

That is the reality that Hudson Fasching has made possible due to his play on the fourth line with Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck.

Fasching, who scored his second goal of the season in Wednesday’s 3-2 OT loss to the Capitals, first entered the lineup against Seattle last month when Martin was initially placed on IR with a vaguer-than-usual upperbody injury diagnosis. He has since proved himself to be an indispensable member of a fourth line that has looked faster and more effective with Fasching on it than without.

Case in point, Fasching’s wraparound goal Wednesday, which came as a burst of opportunism after Clutterbuck won the puck.

“[He] made a great play there. Just kind of picked it up as I turned the corner, the defenseman took the other guy and I just went to the net,” Fasching said. “I was thinking five-hole as I turned the corner, just kind of shoveled it through there.”

It is déjà vu from a year ago when Fasching helped energize the bottom-six while the Islanders were suffering a spate of injuries and never lost his lineup spot. It would be hard to imagine him doing so now.

➤ Islanders prospects Quinn Finley and Danny Nelson are on Team USA’s squad for the World Junior Tournament in Gothenburg, Sweden. In a preliminary game against the Swedes on Thursday, Nelson centered Blackhawks prospects Oliver Moore and Gavin Hayes on the fourth line while Finley played on the top line with Flyers prospect Cutter Gauthier and Blues prospect Jimmy Sniggerud.