Islanders’ Kyle MacLean won’t make excuses for Year 2 woes

LOS ANGELES — A year ago, Kyle MacLean burst onto the Islanders scene like a supernova, playing with an energy and verve that rejuvenated the fourth line for a late run into the playoffs.

Year 2 for the 25-year-old has followed a tougher course.

“I’m definitely still learning,” MacLean — who was in the lineup against the Kings after missing Sunday’s loss to Anaheim with illness — told The Post before the Islanders’ 4-1 loss to the Kings on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. “I did get up last year, but this is my first full year from camp on. Maybe you can say that’s a little bit of it. Definitely don’t want an excuse or anything. I’ve still got a job to do. I have to perform.”

The post-Identity Line fourth line has faced much rougher sledding than anticipated.

MacLean’s linemates have rotated on a near-constant basis all season — the most he’s played with one combination has been 13 games — in part due to injuries and in part because no combination has been particularly effective.

MacLean, who played 9:06 in the loss, and Marc Gatcomb, who have made up two-thirds of the fourth line since Gatcomb’s mid-January call-up, are also both on a learning curve in the NHL.

“I think when you get called up for the first time, it’s not necessarily riding a high, but it’s sort of a different feeling,” MacLean said. “Things can’t go wrong. You kind of have a little more adrenaline. And you can’t manufacture that. It’s the way it is for everybody when they’re first up.

“This year, it’s a little more — it’s different in the sense of it’s from camp on. Things aren’t gonna go well [at points]. You have to figure it out, make sure you don’t let those things affect you. Just gotta keep going.”

Pierre Engvall moved up to the third line alongside Maxim Tsyplakov and Casey Cizikas, with Hudson Fasching going to the fourth line.

“I just hope that’s gonna bring the spark [Engvall] needs,” coach Patrick Roy said. “I just hope that Pierre’s gonna play [inside] a little more, drive the net more, bring pucks to the net more, be more involved physically.”

If MacLean was unable to go Tuesday, the Islanders planned to go with 11 forwards and seven defensemen — this time with Adam Boqvist on defense instead of playing up as a center.

Ilya Sorokin was back in net for the Isles after Marcus Hogberg played on Sunday against Anaheim.