Got the blues? ? #Isles pic.twitter.com/mf7bPjH6QR
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) December 9, 2016
Anders Lee potted two goals and has five goals in the last five games as the New York Islanders edged the St. Louis Blues in Brooklyn.
- New York Islanders 3 (11-10-5, 27 pts)
- St. Louis Blues 2 (15-8-4, 34 pts)
- NHL, Final, Box Score
- Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
Here Come the Islanders
The New York Islanders have now won five of their last six games, and have a six-game point streak going 5-0-1 in that stretch. Two weeks ago, this team was dead on arrival in any place they played in. Nothing was clicking for this team and the fanbase was prepared to look towards the 2017 NHL draft.
Fortunately, for the Islanders, the fantasies of drafting Nolan Patrick have died down significantly. The Islanders have not only risen above .500, they are now sitting as an over .500 team with tonight’s win. If the Montreal and Florida games hold true, the Islanders will be even closer to being in a playoff position.
Scoring Summary
The St. Louis Blues opened the scoring fairly early, as Robby Fabri forced a shot in as Vladimir Tarasenko crashed the net. The Islanders attempted to challenge the goal, but there was no such luck as the goal stood.
Anders Lee scored the first of his pair of goals during the first eleven seconds of the Islanders powerplay. Lee tipped a point shot down that bounced right over Jake Allen‘s glove for a 1-1 tie.
.@leeberr09 gets the #Isles on the board in the first. ? #STLvsNYI pic.twitter.com/MqEN3Rceu1
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) December 9, 2016
John Tavares with a dominant one man effort played a little give and go around a Blues defender as he set himself up in the slot and roofed an unbelievable, highlight-worthy goal.
Wow. ?
T?vares. #Isles #STLvsNYI pic.twitter.com/SXZKCaDJSr— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) December 9, 2016
Kyle Brodziak was able to tie the game at two early in the 2nd period off a wrist shot in the slot. Travis Hamonic, who is not making fans happy that he rescinded his trade request, blew very easy coverage allowing Brodziak to move right in and let a high shot fly.
Lee’s second goal of the game and the eventual game-winner was fired right into the corner of the net after Casey Cizikas won a crucial faceoff.
The score held throughout the rest of the third period as the Islanders held on during the Blues six on five rush during the last few minutes of the game.
Fine Tuning
The Islanders are quickly becoming one of the NHL’s hottest teams. If they can continue the style of play they’re having, they will be back in a playoff spot by the beginning of January (I would have put my semester’s tuition against this just two weeks ago).
But one glaring catastrophe that has prevailed during the Islanders resurgence has to come to light.
Split up Nick Leddy and Travis Hamonic
It’s no coincidence that the pairing of Nick Leddy and Travis Hamonic is a combined -26. The two have not gelled well together all season, and as a result of the Leddy-Hamonic pairing, Thomas Hickey is paired with Johnny Boychuk, two great players on their own but a Corsi nightmare together.
We need to see the Leddy-Boychuk pairing that was so dominant in the 14-15 season as well as the Hickey-Hamonic pairing once more. This should help elevate both Leddy and Hamonic’s play because, right now, fans are wishing Hamonic had been dealt while he still had a trade request.
Fortunately for the Islanders, they’re starting to create some separation from themselves and the bottom of the Eastern Conference. They are now just six points out of the second wild-card spot and there’s still plenty of hockey left to be played.
Up next, the Columbus Blue Jackets.
