The New York Islanders have struggled mightily lately. Losers of their last four games, they are out of a playoff spot with 15 games to go. While most players have more to give, Bo Horvat has done everything he can to help tilt the ice in his team's favor.
The New York Islanders have struggled mightily lately. Losers of their last four games, they are out of a playoff spot with 15 games to go. While most players have more to give, Bo Horvat has done everything he can to help tilt the ice in his team's favor.
EAST MEADOW, NY -- The New York Islanders have struggled mightily lately. Losers of their last four games, they are out of a playoff spot with 15 games to go.
While most players have more to give, Bo Horvat has done everything he can to help tilt the ice in his team's favor.
The Islanders have scored five total goals on their losing streak, and Horvat has scored the last three, with four goals and an assist over his last five games.
On Saturday night against the Ottawa Senators, Horvat's laser with 38 seconds to play forced overtime:
Against the cross-town rival New York Rangers on Sunday, Horvat got the Islanders on the board at 14:08 of the first period before tying the game at 2-2 at the 13:55 mark:
"Honestly, for me, it's just trying to do whatever I can to help the team win," Horvat said following Tuesday's morning skate. "Winning the big face-off, playing well defensively. I mean, obviously, when you're scoring goals, it definitely feels good to get on the scoresheet, but I can only control what I can control, right?
"That's leading by example and doing the little things that I know I can do, and hopefully, people follow, and that's all I can try to do. I can't play the game for anybody else. I just try to set an example out there."
The Hockey News asked Horvat about what's happened to the group, who were playing like such a cohesive unit over their six-game winning streak but now have struggled to do so.
"I think there's a little bit of a disconnect," Horvat said. "When we were playing really well and winning those games, we were playing as five-man units. We were getting back, helping our defense, and our defense was getting up in the rush, and we just looked like a solid hockey team. And we need to get back to that."
THN asked Islanders head coach Patrick Roy what he thought of Horvat's play amidst the skid.
"Honestly, I think he had a good game against Los Angeles (3-0 loss), was so-so against Buffalo," Roy said. "But I thought against Ottawa, he scored a goal, two goals against the Rangers. He's showing a lot of leadership and overall I'm pleased with him.
"What I do love about him is how hard he works, and that's, like, even in my days, I wish I'd be perfect all the time. But that isn't the way it works. At least, if you work, you put your chance on your side."
The Islanders are 2-0-1 against the Hurricanes this season. They come into Tuesday's game riding a three-game winning streak.
Horvat has nine goals and eight assists for 17 points in 19 career games against Carolina.