Desperate times call for desperate measures, and the New York Islanders are in that situation
EAST MEADOW, NY -- Desperate times call for desperate measures, and the New York Islanders are in that situation.
After finding their game under head coach Patrick Roy to losing it, they've found it yet again.
They've won their last five games and have held down the third seed in the Metropolitan Division for a few days now with an opportunity to widen the gap between them and the second wild-card team.
Over the last few games, the Islanders have raised that desperation level to the highest level we've seen this season. Players are noticeably doing everything they can to help get two points, most notably the play of a few players over the last two wins, a 2-0 defeat of the Nashville Predators and a 4-2 win over the New York Rangers.
Int the Predators game, it was Simon Holmstrom who blocked a shot late in the game.
In the Rangers game, it was top-line-forwards Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat blocking shots, with Barzal diving in front of an Artemi Panarin one-timer and Horvat blocking a shot late, which led to the Anders Lee empty-net goal.
"At this time of the season, it doesn't matter who you are. You got to sacrifice and make plays like that," Barzal told The Hockey News on Thursday morning. "We're doing everything we can to scratch and claw to win hockey games. It was my turn to block a shot, had to do it. The rest of the boys loved it, and it doesn't matter who's doing what. Cizikas is doing it. Palmieri is doing it. It doesn't matter. Everyone loves it."
Contrary to any belief that says otherwise, the Islanders want to make the playoffs and the desperation level is proving that.
"It's at an all-time high. We're dying to get in the playoffs. So that's what we've wanted. We know we can get in. Even when we are out -- we were six points out -- we knew that we were gonna get in, and we felt confident.
"We're desperate right now, for sure. But we're staying even-keeled and coming to the rink every day with a good mindset."
Defenseman Ryan Pulock loves to see the top-producing players getting dirty to help the team down at the other end.
"Those guys know what it takes to make the playoffs or be in the playoffs," Pulock told THN. "I think there comes a point in the year and you want to do that all season, but I think you know that you need to pick up your level if you want to get in, and guys have done that. Barzal had a big block. Earlier in the game, Bo had some big blocks. It's just a commitment from everyone.
"You can't just have one or two guys doing it. You need the whole group doing it. And those two guys have stepped up their game in a lot of areas, which has now led to some of the success we've had of late."
Over the last two games, the Islanders have blocked 67 shots, with only Cal Clutterbuck and Kyle MacLean failing to do so.
Outside of blocks, Brock Nelson dove to get a puck out of the zone against the Rangers late in that game. Against Nashville, Pierre Engvall and Kyle MacLean beat out the Icings.
They've collectively beared down in the face-off dot, winning 53.6 percent of their draws over the last two games.
On this five-game winning streak, they lead the NHL in blocks with 121.
With a handful of teams still in the Eastern Conference playoff race, a block, a hit, or a poke could be the difference between being part of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs or watching from the couch.
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