A weird duo on paper has been a fun one for the New York Islanders as Mathew Barzal has enjoyed his time with Hudson Fasching.
TAMPA, FL -- New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy changed two of his four lines at Friday's practice ahead of their Saturday showdown against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
He didn't not to touch the threesome of Anders Lee, Mathew Barzal, and Hudson Fasching, who have played together for four straight games.
A line, particularly with Hudson Fasching playing a top-six role, shocked much of the fan base, but it's a threesome that has worked, with all three atop the Islanders' point board in the last four outings at 5-on-5.
Barzal is leading the way with three goals and two assists, while Lee and Fasching each have three points, with a goal and two assists.
Lee and Barzal are a duo that have played a lot of hockey together over their careers, a staple for most of Barry Trotz's tenure.
What's been really intriguing is just how well Barzal and Fasching have played together.
When those two have been on the ice these last four games at 5-on-5 (39:58), the Islanders have out-scored their opponents 4-2 and out-chanced them 24-11, per NaturalStatrick.com.
"I love playing with Fasching, to be honest with you," Barzal said following Friday's skate. "He's smart. He wins battles. He's in the right places defensively, is strong on the puck. He's got a good stick. I think, most of all, what goes underrated is that he sees the game. Like, he's got a high IQ.
"He's made some plays to me where -- not that I was surprised -- but it was nice to know that he does see me out there and can make those plays. So I think I think our chemistry right now between the three of us (with Anders Lee) is really good."
Because of Barzal's shiftiness and quick thinking, it's very difficult for defenders to read him. It's also a challenge for Barzal's teammates, especially ones that don't play with No. 13 often.
But Barzal believes Fasching really gets him out there.
"He really does. I think he's one of those guys that can slot in with anyone and be effective," Barzal said. "Like, it's not just me. If he was playing with Pageau or Nelson or Bo, whoever, he's gonna be solid. So, he is a fun guy to play with."
The start of this season was a struggle for Fasching, who just didn't have the spark he had a season ago. Lambert elected to go with other depth options and when Fasching was given limited opportunities, he struggled to take advantage.
When Patrick Roy came aboard on Jan. 20, Fasching and the rest of the Islanders had an opportunity to make good first impressions.
After two games under Roy, Fasching suffered a lower-body injury against the Montreal Canadiens on Jan. 25, which forced him out of the lineup for 15 games.
Since returning, Fasching has had that spark.
He's been in the lineup for the last five games, four with Barzal, and is now hoping he can be a difference-maker as the Islanders push for a spot in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"I'm happy that he's back in the lineup, and he's playing so well. He's playing really, really well. So it's great to see," Barzal said.
Fasching joined the Islanders in the summer of 2022, serving as a solid depth piece and a leader for the Bridgeport Islanders. The season before, he was the captain of the Tucson Roadrunners, the Arizona Coyotes AHL affiliate.
The then 27-year-old had played 38 NHL games over the course of seven professional seasons, and it looked as if Fasching would be a career AHLer after not cracking the starting lineup for the Buffalo Sabres and then the Coyotes after being drafted in the fourth round of the 2013 NHL Draft by the Los Angeles Kings.
Through 18 games with Bridgeport, Fasching showed well with seven goals and four assists, earning a recall.
The energy, grit, and determination he showed early on for the Islanders eventually made him a staple in Lane Lambert's lineup, finishing the season with 10 goals and nine assists in 49 games.
On May 1, Fasching and the Islanders put pen to paper on a two-year extension.
"If you actually just watch him -- and he probably knows this too -- you might have some teams that look at him, and it's not super pretty, and he's not making it look elegant out there, that's for sure," Barzal said. "But I think when you're with him, and he's on your team, and you get to watch him close up in a game like he's more effective than people even know, so we're lucky to have snagged him and found a diamond in the rough."
Fasching has four goals and seven assists in 41 games this season.