New York Islanders
Barzal Getting Even Better, Taking Next Step to Stardom
Mat Barzal has already earned himself plenty of accolades over the course of his short career in the NHL.
His overtime winner on Sunday afternoon was just the latest accomplishment among many for the 23-year-old New York Islanders star. Barzal showed a bit of brilliance stretching out to remain onsides to take a pass from Jordan Eberle and then backhanded the puck past Washington Capitals netminder Braden Holtby.
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More importantly for the Islanders, it highlighted the maturation of Mat Barzal’s game through this postseason.
“He wants to be that difference-maker and today he got an opportunity, and he capitalized on that,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. “I just like the growth of Mathew. He’s growing all the time as a player and these experiences are going to help him grow. Play the right way, knowing how to play in the playoffs, understanding you have to fight for inches.
“All those things. It’s a really good learning process and he’s been accepting the challenges that I’ve given him.”
Barzal’s offensive production has picked up lately as the postseason has gone on. In his last four games, Barzal has recorded five points (two goals, three assists).
The Islanders forward joined some pretty hefty company with his overtime goal on Sunday as well. He became the fifth player in franchise history to score in overtime at age 23 or younger. Among those to do so include Mike Bossy, Pat LaFontaine and Ken Morrow.
And Barzal’s game in his own end has improved and the young Islander has shown some hustle to get back and break up plays.
All of that has been a positive for the Islanders, who are on the verge of sweeping a First Round opponent for the second year in a row. Mat Barzal, along with the rest of the top line, has been clicking and they’ve been finding the back of the net more.
“I feel like our line has been pretty solid,” Barzal said. “Five on five we’ve played well. I think we’ve scored a few goals now five on five and it’s key. I think special teams battle, but if you can get goals five on five.”
Pelech’s 26 Birthday a Happy One
New York Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech had a pretty good 26th birthday on Sunday. Pelech had an assist on Anders Lee’s goal in the first period and finished the game a plus-1.
The setup for Lee’s goal was a rather nice one as Pelech was able to hear Lee calling for the puck down low and put it precisely on Lee’s stick. On the defensive side, Pelech showed once again why he is such a critical part of the Islanders roster.
“I think what you’re seeing is Pelly is hitting his stride,” Trotz said. “He’s getting more and more reps so that all those instincts that he has that make him such a good defender. Those are getting acutely sharp. I think he has a lot of confidence and she should because he’s playing really well.”
“we played a good one tonight and were able to come out on top, but we still have a lot of work to do.”
anders lee and adam pelech share their thoughts after game 3. pic.twitter.com/8Ahp6UQ8sq
— x-new york islanders (@NYIslanders) August 16, 2020
New York Islanders
Three Takeaways: Dobson, Bellows Look Good, Barzal Finds Two-Way Game in Win | NYHN+
The New York Islanders started off the 2020-21 NHL season off on the right foot Thursday night with a 4-0 win over the New York Rangers.
The Islanders capitalized on the power play on several occasions, they received timely goaltending when they needed it and their top-six forwards found the back of the net. Not to mention, the play of several young Islanders hoping to maintain their spots on the roster.
Let’s take a look at three takeaways from the Islanders’ season-opening win over their Manhattan rivals:
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The New York Islanders will take a start like that any day.
The Islanders scored three times in the first period, anchored by goals from Anders Lee and Mathew Barzal, and kicked off the 2020-21 season with a 4-0 win over the New York Rangers. Brock Nelson also scored for the Islanders on Thursday.
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“I think we just wanted to start on the right foot and get to our game early,” Lee said. “Find that momentum by playing the way we play and I think we did a pretty good of that. It was the result of a good camp and everyone being ready for tonight, and Varly playing a great game as well. Just a good team effort.”
The season-opening win was anchored by a strong effort in the first and third period by the Isles, and a good performance in the net when they needed it from Semyon Varlamov. It was the 10th consecutive opening night start and second with the Islanders for Varlamov, who finished the night with 24 saves.
The opening night shutout was the Isles’ first since Chico Resch accomplished the feat in 1976 against Philadelphia.
“It’s always easy to play like that when we score first,” Varlamov said. “Overall I’m pretty happy with how we did today. I thought the team played very well.”
The Islanders finished the night with 33 shots on net, while holding the young Rangers to 24 shots.
The Isles special teams unit got plenty of work to start the season, with the Rangers giving the Islanders eight power-play chances on Thursday. They capitalized on two of their chances.
BROCK.
NELSON. pic.twitter.com/GzIj1eJfp7— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) January 15, 2021
It didn’t take long for the Islanders to find the back of the net on Thursday night. It was a mere 2:33 into the game when Nelson lit the lamp for the first of four goals on the evening from the Long Island visitors.
The goal was the fourth fastest the Islanders have scored in a season-opening game in franchise history.
Anthon Beauvillier went for a shot inside the faceoff circle, but had it redirect off the skate of Adam Fox and went right to Nelson in the slot. Nelson quickly put it past Igor Shesterkin for the Isles’ first power-play goal of the year.
Just over a minute later, the Isles struck paydirt again. After Lee took a stick up high he stayed on the ice and after a Rangers turnover was able to create a two-on-one. The Islanders captain fired a shot of the New York goalie’s arm and in for his first of two goals on Thursday.
“I was a little upset. Took one to the teeth and I was making my way back,” Lee said about the goal. “I kind of got lucky that the puck got to Ledds and I could kind of take a chance on hoping that that one got out. He made a great play getting the puck down and it came right to me.”
Barzal capped off a strong first for the Isles with an impressive goal to make it 3-0 after weaving by three Rangers.
WHAT A GOAL pic.twitter.com/oD6ARYSCTz
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) January 15, 2021
Despite a Rangers push in the second, the Islanders were the ones to add a goal in the third. Jordan Eberle threw the puck towards the net and Lee redirected the puck in the slot for his second of the night.
The goal was officially credited to Eberle, but video evidence clearly shows the puck was tipped by Lee.
As the New York Islanders open their season this evening many Islanders fans will be watching the game from home, which includes Nassau County’s most influential fan of the team county executive Laura Curran.
Nassau County Executive Laura Curran will be watching the Islanders battle the New York Rangers from quarantine after she was recently exposed to someone with COVID-19. Curran tweeted out a video this afternoon about her excitement for being able to watch the season opener in its entirety.
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“I guess the small silver lining of quarantine is that I get I watch TV tonight,” Curran said in the video. “And that means I get to watch the entire Islanders game. Game one, taking on the Rangers, 7 p.m. puck drops. I am ready.”
Live from quarantine…
LET’S GO @NYIslanders!@Barzal_97 @leeberr09 @mattymarts17 @rpulock @JGPageau @eyesonislesFS @IslesBlog @NYIHockeyNow @BComptonNHL @KMaher12 @AGrossNewsday pic.twitter.com/Epfe3a04H9
— Laura Curran (@NassauExecutive) January 14, 2021
Curran’s office announced that the county executive had been exposed to COVID-19 on Wednesday night and she is at the beginning of a 10-day quarantine. Officials from the county executive’s office declined to disclose to Newsday where Curran had been exposed to the virus for privacy reasons.
Curran has been an unabashed fan of the Islanders and today was the second time in five days the Nassau County politician tweeted about the Islanders. The county executive tweeted “YES! YES! YES!” along with a GIF of Mathew Barzal following news that the Islanders star had re-signed for three years with the team on Saturday.
Curran has been a vocal supporter of the UBS Arena project at Belmont Park and of getting the Islanders back on Long Island before the opening of UBS Arena in the fall. Curran twice lobbied NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to allow the Islanders to play at Nassau Coliseum before their new home opens.
In 2019, Curran wrote to Bettman to help persuade him to allow the Islanders to play home playoff games on Long Island. The NHL eventually came to an agreement that allowed the Islanders to play their first-round series with the Pittsburgh Penguins at Nassau Coliseum and then after that all home postseason games would move to Barclays Center.
Last year, she called on Bettman again to allow the Islanders to play their final full season before UBS Arena at the Coliseum. The NHL eventually allowed the Islanders to do so after New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo stepped in.
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Agree with most of this but Barzy HAS to start shooting more. He passes up way too many opportunities.
All part of the maturation process. He has stepped up for them more and more as the playoffs have gone on though.