Islanders' Pierre Engvall-Casey Cizikas-Simon Holmstrom line has formed a connection on and off the ice
Islanders left wing Pierre Engvall sets before a faceoff against the Kraken in the first period of an NHL game at UBS Arena on Feb. 13. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
The Swedish Connection is, well, about connection.
Pierre Engvall said the transition to the third line with Casey Cizikas and fellow Swede Simon Holmstrom has more-or-less been seamless, and Patrick Roy credits some of that to their off-the-ice bond.
“They see each other for some reason,” Roy said of Engvall and Holmstrom before the 5-1 victory over the Bruins on Saturday night. “Sometimes when you make adjustments like this, you’re like, how long is it going to take, and boom, these two were clicking right off the bat. They hang out a lot together, first of all, so maybe it facilitates that change. Pierre has been the engine of that line right now. He skates well with the puck.”
Before the Islanders’ game against the Bruins on Saturday, the line had combined for two goals in a little over 23 minutes; Engvall and Cizikas scored in the 5-3 win over the Red Wings on Thursday.
“I think we’re a hard-working line and I think pretty much right away, we were finding each other and supporting each other out there,” Engvall said. “It felt really good.”
Cizikas’ break from the Islanders’ “Identity Line’’ — for which he forged his career — also has been a boon, Engvall said.
“How hard he works and how many battles he’s winning,” Engvall said of the skill set. “It’s really easy playing with him. He always wins the battle and gives you the puck. I think we’ve created a lot of chances with him.”
As for his fellow Swede?
“I think we just have a lot of fun together,” Engvall said. “I think sometimes it just works out . . . I think we worked really hard and if one guy went, the other guy went to support them. I think we’re building something.”
As for the Swedish Connection — sure, Engvall will roll with the nickname. “It sounds pretty good,” he said. “I’ll take that.”
Martin out. Matt Martin didn’t play in the third period of the game against the Bruins after suffering an injury, Roy said. He had no further details.
Laura Albanese is a reporter, feature writer and columnist covering local professional sports teams; she began at Newsday in 2007 as an intern.
