Pierre Engvall isn't a physical guy, but that doesn't mean he can't play with grit.
ELMONT, NY -- As I was thinking about what questions to ask New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy following Monday's morning skate, Pierre Engvall came to mind.
Throughout most of the first half of the season, Engvall had struggled, standing out for all the wrong reasons.
But since coming in when Simon Holmstrom suffered an upper-body injury on Dec. 29, he's played well and is still in the lineup even with No. 10 back.
No, Engvall hasn't registered a point in his last 10 games with only three shots, but what he's been is effective.
"It's no surprise for anyone that Pierre's a good skater. I like the fact that he's playing well with the puck, basically with his puck management, putting the pucks deep, and then getting in on the forecheck. He's been doing a good job," Roy said on Monday morning. "I would just like to see Pierre a little more physical in a way, not necessarily making huge hits, but bumping into their defense, not letting them get back into play. Especially tonight, we're playing a guy by the name of Werenski. If you don't bump into him, he'll be up on the rush all night long.
"So we have to slow him down. All their defense are very involved offensively, and he's the key guy on their team. So we need to slow him down and that's what I would love Pierre to do. If he does that, I think he's gonna be just fine."
When the puck dropped against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday night, Engvall did exactly what his coach asked.
For the second straight game, Engvall recorded two hits after having just one in the last eight games.
He continued to skate with a purpose, and alongside Marc Gatcomb, a rookie making an immediate impact on the fourth line in his three appearances, and Kyle MacLean down the middle, they've been able to establish a forecheck and hem in the opponents' seemingly every shift.
Engvall also got into it with Sean Kuraly during the third period:
“I was happy with him. I was really proud of him when Kuraly pushed him, and then he didn't let him [push him]. Pierre is a strong, strong man," Roy said. "Was I surprised? No. Sometimes, in practice, when he gets pushed, there's a response. I was very happy, and I thought that line played really well.
"When they scored that goal in the first period, I asked them, give us some momentum, you know, bring the puck deep, work it deep, and I think that will give something to our guys. And it's exactly what they did, and they did a really nice job.”
Engvall, alongside Kyle MacLean and rookie Marc Gatcomb, has been an effective trio for Roy.
In three games, 16:19 minutes, they have held opponents to just six total shots, with nine scoring chances to the opponents' three. They haven't allowed a high-danger chance against, despite being on the ice for one goal against.
Finding a role for Engvall this season has been tough and he's struggled to be the physical player a bottom-six role requires.
But, the last few games, Engvall has done what he does best while also adding a little chippiness.
That game allows him to stay in Roy's lineup, and it's important to see Engvall do what's needed.
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