Andrew Gross: Patrick Roy puts Bo Horvat, Mathew Barzal on same line to spark Islanders offense
Mathew Barzal, left, and Bo Horvat of the New York Islanders. Credit: Jim McIsaac
WASHINGTON – One or more things can be true for any situation so this stood as an all-of-the-above solution.
But, no matter how it was framed, the overall answer was the search for more offense.
Coach Patrick Roy placed his two top centers, Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal, on a line together for Monday night’s crucial Metropolitan Division match against the Capitals at Capital One Arena, marking the first time since Dec. 30 they had started as linemates.
The initial outside analysis was this was a move to jumpstart Horvat’s offensive production since the Islanders’ leading goal scorer had not scored a goal in his last six games. Perhaps not coincidentally, Horvat’s last goal given that he missed nine games with a lower-body injury from Jan. 3-21 was in that 3-2 shootout win in Chicago on Dec. 30, though it came on the power play with a primary assist from Barzal.
But it was also true placing Barzal with Horvat lessened the former’s defensive responsibilities, allowing him to concentrate on his playmaking while limiting the times he would have to take a faceoff.
Meanwhile, Roy’s first response when asked about using Horvat and Barzal together was to mention the third linemate, Ondrej Palat, playing his fourth game for the Islanders since his acquisition from the Devils.
“We feel like Palat is a really good fit for these two guys,” Roy said. “He’s a guy that will go to the net. He’s a guy that works really hard.”
Chances are, if the past is prologue, this will wind up being a temporary lineup change.
Again, two things are true in this case: One, Roy has continued to mix and match his lines almost on a game-to-game basis and acknowledged on Monday part of that is he believes it keeps his players fresh through a condensed schedule (the Islanders are in a midst of a mind-boggling stretch of six games in nine days). Two, the Islanders have tried and quickly gone away from using Horvat and Barzal together this season more than once.
Playing them together was the plan entering training camp. That didn’t even make it through the preseason. And after the win in Chicago on Dec. 30, Horvat and Barzal went back to centering their own lines in a 7-2 loss to Utah at UBS Arena on Jan. 1.
Yet neither Horvat nor Barzal are shy about how much they enjoy being linemates, as was the case for a good portion of the time until this season when both were healthy after Horvat was acquired from the Canucks on Jan. 30, 2023.
Here’s what Horvat said when asked what elevated Barzal’s playmaking: “His elusiveness, his ability to be able to turn up and find guys coming in late. His quickness with his skating and being able to separate from guys kind of separates him from all other guys. His edge work. It’s just my job to not get tied up and get in those open areas to be a shooter for him.”
And here’s what Barzal said when asked about Horvat’s ability to get open to shoot: “Bo’s spatial awareness of when he’s open and finding little holes is really elite. A lot of guys have great shots. But can you find the areas? Can you find that second of quiet space on the ice to be open for a shot? He does a heck of a job finding that area and I’m always looking for him.”
Barzal added the chemistry they find skating five-on-five can quickly translate to the power play when they’re on the same unit, as was the case on Monday.
“Patrick’s got a good eye knowing the timing of the season, what guys are maybe struggling with or need,” Barzal said. “He’s good at juggling and putting the right combinations together.”
Again, this could all change by Tuesday night’s equally important match against the Penguins at UBS Arena. But at least it’s something Roy has as an option to come back to when he needs.
“It’s nice for a coach, it’s nice to have that in your back pocket,” Horvat said. “It’s our job to do it on the ice.”
All of which is true.
Notes & quotes: Roy said goalie Ilya Sorokin will start on Tuesday after David Rittich faced the Capitals…Defenseman Adam Boqvist and Max Shabanov were the healthy scratches.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
