Islanders' Kieffer Bellows scores one for Mom and one for Dad  

Kieffer Bellows didn’t have to call his parents, former NHL player Brian Bellows and his wife, Tracy, after his two-goal effort in the Islanders’ 5-3 win over the Kings on Thursday night at Barclays Center.

They were in the stands to see their son’s first two NHL goals. And they’ll get the puck marking the milestone.

“That’s a gift to my parents,” Bellows said. “Probably my first phone calls will be to my sisters.

“Having them in the crowd helps. It makes it pretty emotional. They give me space on game days and let me focus. We take a moment after the game to do a little happy dance. Then we stop and I focus on the next game.”

Bellows said he did scan the crowd after the game to see if he could spot his parents. He certainly heard the crowd chanting his name after each of his goals. “You take a second to hear it,” he said. “But then I just try to focus on my next shift.” 

100 games for Toews

Devon Toews has had a reputation as an offensive-minded defenseman since entering the NHL.

But Islanders coach Barry Trotz said it’s a balance at both ends of the rink that allowed Toews to quickly become a lineup fixture.

Toews played in his 100th regular-season game and logged 20:08 with an assist Thursday night.  He has been in the lineup for every game since being brought up from the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport on Dec. 19, 2018, after Thomas Hickey suffered a concussion.

“He’s always been able to be a part of the attack, but I think he’s more selective,” Trotz said. “His patience of when to go and when not to go is more acute. Sometimes those offensive guys drift and tend to forget what’s behind them. They get that short-term memory. I think his awareness in getting that nice balance in understanding what’s behind him and what his opportunity is ahead of him has just matured.”

Toews, 25, was selected in the fourth round in 2014. He became only the second defenseman from that draft class picked after the second round to reach 100 NHL games.

Clutterbuck update

Cal Clutterbuck (left wrist) remains out indefinitely after being slashed by Patrice Bergeron’s skate blade in Boston on Dec. 19. Trotz said he has begun doing light stickwork as he skates on his own or alongside retired defenseman Dennis Seidenberg. “He does have a stick in his hand,” Trotz said. “He’s doing therapeutic things which involve, probably, light stickhandling and strengthening of the hand.”

Isles files

Defenseman Ryan Pulock earned his 100th NHL point with a secondary assist on Matt Martin’s third-period goal, giving him a four-game assist streak . . . Bellows became the 17th player in Islanders history with points in his first two games. Anders Lee was the last on April 2-6, 2013 . . . Defenseman Sebastian Aho was recalled from Bridgeport after being sent to play in the Sound Tigers’ 3-2 loss to Syracuse on Wednesday morning. He was a healthy scratch for the 13th straight game since his initial recall on Jan. 3  . . . Ross Johnston and Tom Kuhnhackl remained healthy scratches . . . The attendance was 11,108 . . . The Islanders are 6-0-3 in Brooklyn.

By Andrew Gross

andrew.gross@newsday.comAGrossNewsday

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.