Despite not being on the ice for a goal against, Islanders head coach Lane Lambert wasn't thrilled with the defensive prowess of his dynamic duo after two periods. He made a change, turning a micro issue into a macro problem.

Despite not being on the ice for a goal against, New York Islanders head coach Lane Lambert wasn't thrilled with the defensive prowess of his dynamic duo after two periods against the Detroit Red Wings on Monday night. 

In 8:16 minutes, along with Anders Lee, that line outshot their opponents 8-7 but were out-chanced 10-9, according to NaturalStatrick.com.

So, he did what he did on Saturday night, separating Mathew Barzal from Bo Horvat, elevating Oliver Wahlstrom to the top line, and having No. 13 skate alongside Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Simon Holmstrom.

It was a move that would have been more understandable had the Islanders been chasing a goal or two with twenty minutes to play.

It was a move that would have been more understandable if that line hadn't been buzzing the way they had.

It was a move that would have been more understandable in a back-and-forth, high-scoring game. 

It was a move that backfired immensely.

The Islanders blew their 2-0 lead quicker than you can say, "Trick or Treat," watching their lead disappear in under two minutes, allowing three goals in 3:48. 

The first of three came against the new-look Pageau line, as all three forwards got caught up the ice. It seemed that Barzal had the ability to get back but failed to make a play on the puck, while a failed Samuel Bolduc step exposed Sebastian Aho:

The new-look top line was on the ice for the Red Wing's tying goal, as Horvat lost a race to a loose puck, and Wahlstrom whiffed on a clearing attempt before the ensuing shot deflected off his hand and past Sorokin:

Despite coming back late on a Horvat power-play goal, ironically from Barzal with 4:11 to play in the third, the Islanders duo were on the ice for Lucas Raymond's overtime tally, which came off a Horvat turnover. 

Barzal hesitated on his coverage after the turnover, allowing J.T. Compher time to wait and find Lucas Raymond at the back post as the Red Wings snapped a three-game skid with a 4-3 overtime win. 

Following the game, Lambert had this to say about his line adjustments:

"They were creating a lot of chances offensively. Just defensively, we've got to shore things up," Lambert said.

There were plenty of fans who looked at Lambert's decision, struggling to wrap their head around the fact that if the goal was stronger defensive play, then how could Wahlstrom be the answer?

But the focus is on the wrong thing, as Wahlstrom didn't matter in this equation. 

Barzal and Horvat, albeit playing stronger defense with Lee on their line over Holmstrom and outscoring their opponents 3-2 in 90:31 together at five-on-five, have been out-chanced 74-56, allowing 32 high-danger chances. 

This was a situation, or so it seems, where Lambert was telling Barzal and Horvat that if they weren't going to play stronger defensively, he's not going to play them together.

It was a micro issue when the focus should have been on the macro. 

"I think it's been pretty solid," Barzal said about his defensive play with Horvat. "I mean, haven't spent a ton of time on our end, maybe the last two games a little bit more, but I mean, it's been pretty good, I think."

Barzal continued: "I mean, just objectively like, if you're being switched around, whether it's me or whoever, in general, things maybe can affect that a little bit, but I mean, played with Bo for a little while now. We're pretty familiar with each other's games, I think. So if moved around a little bit and put back together. I don't think it hurts too much."

At the end of the day, Lambert's the coach. 

"I don't think we've been on for two goals, maybe. So we had some chances. Our goalies have bailed us out a couple of times, but I mean, I think, chance for chance,  we're definitely out-weighing the other side," Barzal said. "It is what it is. I mean, Lane's the coach, and he knows what he's doing. So sometimes that switch-up can work the other way, and you switch up the line, and they go and score, and just that little move can flip it that way. 

"Unfortunately, last night, it maybe went the other way. But I mean, I've seen it go the other way plenty of times."