Islanders' Anthony Beauvillier may be ready for another hot streak
Islanders' Anthony Beauvillier celebrates after scoring the game-winning goal during overtime in an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Monday, March 22, 2021, in Philadelphia. Credit: AP/Matt Slocum
Streaky Anthony Beauvillier might be embarking on another scoring streak.
His goal streak is now at two games – modest, for sure – after he scored the overtime winner on a wraparound in the Islanders’ 2-1 victory in Philadelphia on Monday night.
Beauvillier scored his first goal in nine games in Saturday night’s 6-1 win over the Flyers at Nassau Coliseum.
"Just kind of cleared my head a little bit," Beauvillier said. "Had some good chats with Barry [Trotz] and the coaching staff. It doesn’t matter if I’m on the scoresheet or not, it’s about doing the right things for my teammates."
Beauvillier equaled defenseman Ryan Pulock with a team-high four shots in 16:32.
"Beau was hard on pucks," Trotz said. "I’m glad he got rewarded because we talked about a couple of things that he needs to do. He’s just playing on the puck with a little more weight and not worrying about scoring. But, it’s amazing when you’re just playing hard and doing all the right things that you get rewarded."
The unknown
Monday marked nine straight days on the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol list for Noah Dobson with no timetable for the defenseman to return to the Islanders’ lineup.
But there will be question marks for the 20-year-old Dobson even when he is eventually cleared.
Long-term data on the effects of the disease is still being compiled.
Noah Dobson #8 of the Islanders skates against the Buffalo Sabres at Nassau Coliseum on Sunday, Mar. 7, 2021. Credit: Jim McIsaac
"Yeah, you’re right, we don’t know enough about it," Trotz said. "We have to go with the science on this and all the protocols on returning, they’re in place from the NHL in terms of the heart monitoring and ramping up."
"We have some skating tests, we have all those things where we feel a guy can get back. We’re not going to put a player in any kind of danger at any point."
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.
