With a bug going around the Islanders dressing room, Jean-Gabriel Pageau had come down sick and the 25-year-old Gatcomb was in line to make his NHL debut. He used the 90-minute ride from Bridgeport to Long Island to call up his family and as many friends as he could, learning in the car that he would indeed be playing against the Senators.

The New York Islanders recalled forward Marcus Gatcomb from the Bridgeport Islanders of the American Hockey League (AHL).

New York Islanders forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau was scratched prior to Tuesday night’s game against the Ottawa Senators with an illness and is considered day-to-day, the team announced. In his place, the team emergency recalled Marc Gatcomb from AHL Bridgeport.