Islanders' Simon Holmstrom is piling up a fair share of shorthanded goals
Islanders right wing Simon Holmstrom (10) celebrates after his goal against the Ottawa Senators with Noah Dobson (8) and Mathew Barzal (13) during third-period NHL hockey game action in Ottawa, Ontario, Friday, Nov. 24, 2023. Credit: AP/Justin Tang
SUNRISE, Fla. — At this pace, Simon Holmstrom has a chance to set an Islanders record.
Yes, we’re talking about the same 2019 first-round pick who has struggled to establish himself as a consistent NHL forward. But three of Holmstrom’s six goals this season have come shorthanded, leaving him four shy with 60 games remaining of tying Bob Bourne (1980-81) and Frans Nielsen (2010-11) for the franchise mark.
“You’ve just got to let it come automatically,” Holmstrom told Newsday after his latest shorthanded tally helped the Islanders to a 5-4 overtime win over the Hurricanes on Thursday night. “You want to not let them get in on the entry. I think that’s where you can really take the opportunity on them because everyone is going forward.”
The Islanders (9-7-6), on a 4-1-1 streak, conclude this three-game road trip against the Panthers on Saturday at the constantly renamed Amerant Bank Arena.
Holmstrom, on a shorthanded rush with Jean-Gabriel Pageau, lifted a backhander past Hurricanes goalie Pyotr Kochetkov to make it 2-2 at 15:59 of the second period. He also had a shorthanded goal in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Hurricanes at UBS Arena on Nov. 4 and in a 5-2 defeat in Boston five days later.
That ties Holmstrom for the NHL lead in shorthanded goals.
According to team statistician Eric Hornick, Holmstrom, Josh Bailey and Hall of Famers Bryan Trottier and Denis Potvin are the only Islanders with three career shorthanded goals before their 23rd birthday. Bailey and Holmstrom are the only ones to do it in one season.
“It’s just super-easy to play with the guys out there,” Holmstrom said. “Especially Pageau.”
Still, coach Lane Lambert used Holmstrom for only 8:34 in Thursday’s game and just 7:13 at even strength as he skated on Pageau’s third line with Oliver Wahlstrom.
Holmstrom, 22, has six goals in his 21 games — after notching six goals and three assists in 50 games last season as a rookie — but he has yet to record an assist.
So the wait continues for consistency in Holmstrom’s offensive production skating five-on-five.
But Lambert wants his penalty-killers to be aggressive if it’s safe to do so.
“He clearly shows some breakaway speed,” Lambert said. “He’s scored some big goals for us and he’s extremely smart when it comes to reading plays on the penalty kill. I think he’s just getting better and better in that role.
“If the chance is there, absolutely,” Lambert added of wanting his penalty-killers to rush the puck up ice. “What we don’t want is to get too aggressive when it’s an even-numbered situation. Then, all of sudden, you turn the puck over and there are odd numbers coming back. You just have to read it and see what the situation is.”
Notes & quotes: Defenseman Mike Reilly is expected to play his third game for the Islanders after the Panthers placed him on waivers a week ago. He played only two games for Florida.
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.
