Islanders Explosive, New-Look, Loaded Top Line Share Thoughts

The Islanders have a new-look top line. Here's what the threesome had to say about playing together and why they can be effective.

EAST MEADOW, NY -- With the New York Islanders trailing the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-0 with a few minutes to play in the second, head coach Patrick Roy decided to make a lineup change.

Roy went in a different direction on Saturday night after swapping Mathew Barzal and Oliver Wahlstrom during Thursday's 4-0 loss to the St Louis Blues.

Needing goals, Roy shortened his bench and placed second-line centerman Brock Nelson on Bo Horvat's left alongside Barzal.

That line played 4:57 at 5-on-5, which doesn't include all three players being on the ice for the club's two goals late, ultimately falling 4-2. 

Anders Lee scored a few seconds after the power play, 6-on-5 with Ilya Sorokin pulled, before Brock Nelson scored on the power play with a 6-on-4 advantage with Sorokin pulled. 

Roy said after the game that he moved Nelson up there because he was looking for more speed.

That threesome remained the same when the Islanders hit the ice for Sunday's practice before leaving for Dallas, who they face Monday night at 8 PM ET.

"I'm very curious to see how they do," Roy said. "I really liked the energy they brought in that third period. So it's very tempting to continue the experience.

"After the game, I spoke with our guys, and they all said that Brock played left wing before, so now, having Brock with Horvat and Barzal, I'm curious to see how things will go."

Barzal is not someone who has been held off the scoresheet often this season, being the focal point of the Islanders' offense.

The Islanders needed to get on the board against Tampa and understood Roy's decision. 

"We hadn't scored a goal in almost, like, six periods, so If you're going to try to do something explosive, that's probably the best play," Barzal said. "We had a ton of zone time and a lot of possession. I know it was 6-on-5, but we ended up scoring two goals there at the end.

"I think the possession was there. The entry is the control was there. So, I think it's pretty dynamic."

Barzal's always been consistent with saying how much he appreciates having Anders Lee on the top line but understands how effective Nelson being up there can be.

"I like having Lee with us. I think he does a lot of good things for me and Bo, but I think Nelson, this is going to be very dynamic," Barzal said. 

All three playing on the power play have laid a foundation for their chemistry already. 

"It helps. I've seen Nelson's game for a long time, and he knows me, so he's pretty easy to play with. He's straightforward, sees the game well, and has good support on the puck. 

"So, it will be easy to connect right away." 

Having three centers on one line isn't something we see often.

"We were joking that Bo is the center of all centers," Barzal said. "I think it'll work well. Generally, for a centerman, the transition to wing is a little bit easier, so it will be nice having three centers on the ice. I've never had that situation before, but any of us can play low. Any one of us can play high.

"I think putting Nelson with us, it's just going to be dynamic, and I think that we can create a lot of opportunities."

Like Barzal, Horvat has been a catalyst offensively and is looking forward to playing with the club's leading goal scorer.

"Brock's really good," Horvat said. "I think Roy was just trying to get a spark there offensively [on Saturday]. Obviously, it brings that element to our line. So if we get the chance to play together tomorrow, I'm really looking forward to it."

Nelson understands that he has to let Barzal do his thing out there.

"I'm just trying to support him because he's dynamic, makes a lot of plays," Nelson said. "I've played with him a handful of times, maybe not for long stretches, but I know his game really well. He creates a lot of space for himself and then buys you some time to find yourself open and hopefully get some looks. 

"So, we'll try to support one another, get some good speed, some good motion, and we should be able to generate some good offense."

Nelson said that the last time he played wing regularly was during his sophomore year at the University of North Dakota and that he played some wing when John Tavares was on the island."

The Islanders now have their top three forwards on the same line, totaling 64 of the Islanders 133 goals from forwards this season (48.12 percent). 

The question now is, can the other three forward lines provide the secondary and tertiary scoring?