Adam Boqvist got off to a strong start in the Blue & Orange.

TAMPA, FL -- After being claimed off waivers from the Florida Panthers on Friday, defenseman Adam Boqvist made his debut for the New York Islanders on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

In the second period, Boqvist lit the lamp for his first goal for his new team. 

Simon Holmstrom sent Mathew Barzal out for a breakaway toward Andrei Vasilevskiy's cage. Vasilevskiy made the initial save, but Boqvist jumped on the rebound and finished to tie the game at 1-1:

Barzal and Holmstrom got the assists on the goal, but a tertiary assist may be in order for Anthony Beauvillier. 

In an intermission interview with MSG Network's Shannon Hogan, it appears Boqvist borrowed the former Islanders forward's gloves for the game:

Although it may have been a last resort due to the short turnaround for Boqvist's arrival, those gloves know a thing or two about big goals. Beauvillier scored 102 goals in an Islanders uniform, including the final goal in Nassau Coliseum's NHL history in the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Ironically, that goal also came against the Lightning. 

Since leaving the Islanders, Beauvillier has become a journeyman, playing for four different teams. Although he now calls the Pittsburgh Penguins his team, his impact on the franchise lived on in Boqvist's Islanders debut. 

When Boqvist's Islanders debut was all said and done, the 24-year-old had recorded that goal on one shot and was a +2 with a hit in 10:39 minutes. 

"It's always nice to score, but we got two points, and that's what matters," Boqvist told The Hockey News following the win. "We're right in the playoffs, mix there, a couple points out. We're just gonna keep going. I'm gonna learn my teammates and how they play and stuff. But, it's a fun hockey they play. 

"[The system] is different, but it was really nice to go out there and play, and that's what I wanted."

Fellow newcomer Tony DeAngelo, who ended up scoring the overtime winner, had this to say about Boqvist. 

"I thought he was great. I mean, I've always known how well he can move the puck. I've kind of followed him from his London day (OHL) and all that kind of stuff. Really good player," DeAngelo said. "I thought he had a good feel. He was patient. Big goal. Jumped in the play. 

"Most guys probably go for a change [there]. Smart jump-in. You got to take advantage. You get a chance. So I thought he was really good."

Islanders head coach Patrick Roy loved what he saw.

"I thought he was really good. He may score a nice goal for us," the Islanders bench boss said. "He moved well on the rush, moved the puck well. He learned a lot, I'm sure, from the Panthers. Sylvain Lefebvre, a former teammate of mine, was the defense coach. So I'm sure he learned a lot from him as well.

"So it's nice to have a guy that been in in the locker room where, you know, they won the Stanley Cup. So I'm sure he learned a lot from all those things."

Boqvist will face his former Panthers teammates on Sunday night at 6 PM ET as the Islanders look to extend their win streak to an NHL-best eight games. 

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