Good Morning, Islanders Country.
You can’t fault Lane Lambert for trying. The Islanders’ head coach stated that the urgency is high for his 2-4-0 team, and when there’s urgency, there isn’t often patience. Since the lackluster effort versus New Jersey, Lambert has tweaked the lineup, scratching first Josh Bailey and then Anthony Beauvillier, offering an opportunity to Nikita Soshnikov and Ross Johnston.
Not much changed, and so things continue to change. The deck keeps shuffling. The Islanders will have new first, second, and third lines when they take the ice against the rival New York Rangers, looking for a spark that will end their three-game losing streak and avoid sinking further down an early season hole.
Coming up, Barzal wants Wahlstrom to just play hockey, and Denis Potvin wants you to buy some footwear. Plus, Barry Trotz speaks and gets people talking; the 2001-02 team remains unbeaten on the road, and two legendary bobbleheads.
Let’s dive in.
📰 NEWS: The Islanders were back on the ice on Tuesday, and after a pair of losses over the weekend, more line changes were revealed during practice,
◾️ The still consistent ‘Identity Line’ stayed intact while Lane Lambert reunited the second line of Anders Lee, Brock Nelson, and Anthony Beauvilier. The third-line combination of JG Pageau with Zach Parise and Kyle Palmieri also returns for the first time this season.
◾️ But the biggest headline was that Oliver Wahlstrom was getting moved up to playing alongside Mathew Barzal and Josh Bailey. More on that below ⬇️
◾️ D Robin Salo traveled with the team to Sunrise, FL, after being “loaned” to Bridgeport. The thought was this was a paper transaction, but Salo was indeed sent to the B-Isles, meaning the Islanders currently carry only six defensemen.
A season ago, fans were clamoring for Wahlstrom to get an opportunity to play with Barzal, but it was based on potential - the what could be. This year’s shot feels more on merit, as Wahlstrom has shown a more mature game that has generated compliments and playing time from his coach.
◾️ MANAGING THE PUCK: “He’s played well. He’s done a good job on the walls, getting pucks out. We talked about his limited turnovers. As long as you do certain things right, things will take care of themselves,” Lambert said.
“When you’re playing in a role, higher up in the lineup, you’re playing against other team’s top players as well. So, turnovers are important. He’s done a really good job of managing the puck this year.”
◾️ THE THINKING: “[Wahlstrom] is a shooter and Mat’s a possession guy,” Lambert said. “With Josh Bailey there with him — he’s a distributor as well — we want to see more of what Wally does best and that’s shoot the puck.”
The other subplot is that continuing carousel of linemates for Barzal. Just because he’s signed long-term doesn’t mean the organization should wait to figure out who will play alongside their cornerstone player! 😉
Starting tonight, Wahlstrom gets an opportunity to claim that spot, and Barzy talked about what he wants to see from Wahlly:
◾️ A REASON TO STICK: “I don’t think anyone’s given him a reason to stick,” Barzal said. “I don’t think any line's really excelled to a point where they should be set in stone. That’s on us. He’s trying some different combinations and…that’s on us to break out and some line [finds] some chemistry and another line finds chemistry and then hopefully we can have four lines [going].”
⏭ NEXT UP: It’s an Isles Gameday! The Islanders and Rangers are the nationally televised game tonight on TNT. Face-off from UBS Arena is at 7:30 PM.
📊 STANDINGS:
🧦 POTVIN SOCKS! When the Islanders host the Rangers tonight at UBS Arena, you’ll be able to purchase some rivalry nostalgia with "Potvin socks," a play on the derogatory chant Rangers fans have been doing at Madison Square Garden since Potvin’s hit on Ulf Nilsson on February 25, 1979.
"You've been chanting it for 43 years," Potvin said with a smile in a video posted by the Islanders. "Now, you can wear it."
🤔 ORIGINAL SIX: Former Islanders coach Barry Trotz was a guest on “The Cam and Strick Podcast” and was asked whether he would consider coaching a Canadian team. His response got those north of the boarder speculating of a nightmare scenario for Islanders fans - Trotz coaching the Toronto Maple Leafs.
"I don't know if any coach that takes a job in Canada ever wants to deal with it," he said. "Original Six, for me, I have never coached an Original Six team. That would intrigue me ... those teams always intrigue you. But the Canadian teams -- you're under the microscope. You sort of are in New York, too.
"I think it takes a special coach, special player, to play in Canada because there's a different pressure."
📚 SOUND SMART: Per Eric Hornick in The Skinny, Brock Nelson and Mathew Barzal are tied for the team lead in assists (6) but no Islander center has scored a goal in the first six games. The Isles allowed just one goal in their four-game homestand but allowed four first-period goals in the games in Tampa Bay and Florida. The opposition has scored the first goal in four straight games.
🗓 THIS DATE IN ISLANDERS HISTORY: On October 26, 2001, the Islanders became just the fourth team in NHL history to win each of their first six road games to start the season. Oleg Kvasha tied the game at 2-2 in the third period on the power-play (blurry GIF below), and Mariusz Czerkawski was the hero with the game-winning goal in overtime to beat the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2.
🎧 Nassaumen Hockey Podcast: On the docket for this week: Islanders' reverse retro jersey is here; a three-game losing streak to the New Jersey Devils, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Florida Panthers; Robin Salo to Bridgeport and Sebastian Aho in the lineup; Josh Bailey sits; Lou Lamoriello's continued cap gymnastics; and the schedule ahead for the remainder of the month.
🔗 Schwartz: Islanders-Rangers rivalry is fierce but it’s also about fun, family, and friends by Peter Schwartz, WFAN.com “When it comes to a local rivalry, there are houses (like mine) divided and there are families divided. In the case of Islanders vs Rangers, you would be hard-pressed to find a more unique situation than that of Islanders forward Matt Martin.”
🔗 Islanders’ carousel of linemates continues around Mathew Barzal; Oliver Wahlstrom next to get a look by Joe Pantorno, amNewYork “Mathew Barzal expressed a desire to find a consistent linemate or two toward the home stretch of last season after playing 100 or more minutes with five different wingers on his flank. So far in 2022-23, the carousel of options is still in full motion.”
And we leave you with this…there are plenty of season ticket holder perks for Islanders fans, and in the franchise’s 50th anniversary season, they are rich with nostalgia. Now included is a limited edition Dynasty Bobblehead featuring Bill Torrey and Al Arbour, which celebrates the legendary GM and coach.
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