Horvat Scores 1st Goal in Islanders Sweater, Barzal Energized

ELMONT, NY– After making his New York Islanders debut Monday night against the Philadelphia Flyers and showing well, Bo Horvat is amped up to play in front of the Islanders faithful at UBS Arena Tuesday night when they host the Seattle Kraken.

“Probably the same amount of nerves and butterflies playing in front of the home crowd for the first time,” Horvat said. “It’s going to be exciting. I’m really looking forward to it. I’ve only played in the building once, but on the away side of it, so I’m excited to be on the home side of it.”

One way to get the nerves out of the way at home is by scoring in your first game in front of the fans. And that Horvat did as he finished off a Mathew Barzal pass for his 32nd of his season at 5:08 of the second period, setting a new career-high.

everyone…BO HORVAT😤 pic.twitter.com/kPy4BG3wzk

— Isles on MSGSN (@IslesMSGN) February 8, 2023

If you thought the Islanders fans were ecstatic, here’s Horvat’s celebration again:

ALLLL THE FEELS IN THIS CELLY🙌🏽 pic.twitter.com/Sq8SCWrkj2

— Isles on MSGSN (@IslesMSGN) February 8, 2023

The fans let the “HOR-VAT” chants rain down for quite some time after.

“I haven’t had a chant like that in a building, that loud, I don’t think ever, so that was pretty amazing. Amazing welcome, and it definitely felt good to get it in my first game at home,” Horvat said.

“I finally took a deep breath after that one. Definitely felt nice. Definitely felt even better to get the win after that. Made it that much sweeter. I can’t stop with one, I gotta keep it going, and we got to keep rolling with these wins here.”

As for the emotion on Barzal’s face: “I think he was more excited than I was. He made a heck of a play there to strip that guy and get it to me, and like I said, I got to expect the unexpected from him. So a heck of a play by him.”

Barzal was fired up.

“I didn’t give him a great pass. I gave him kind of a bad puck, and he buried it, and it’s just almost a relieving feeling,” Barzal said. “He’s a goal scorer, and so he can hit those and just has a really good knack for goal scoring, so I was just fired up for him. Just a big night.”

Barzal was then asked if Horvat is the kind of player he’s envisioned playing with.

“Absolutely. I think you can just tell. I seem to turn up,” Barzal said. “Just seems to be there in the right goal-scoring spot, so it’s exciting. I’m excited. I feel like I even got a little more juice out there, just playing with him.”

“So yeah, it’s nice to know that, when I turn up and make plays, he’s gonna be sitting there in the right spots, and yeah, it’s a nice feeling.”