Bo Horvat takes his share of blame for Islanders' ouster in first round
Bo Horvat #14 of the New York Islanders skates against Sebastian Aho #20 of the Carolina Hurricanes in game four of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at UBS Arena on Sunday, Apr. 23, 2023 in Elmont, New York. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Top-line center Bo Horvat accepted his share of the blame for the lack of consistent production in the Islanders’ six-game loss to the Hurricanes in the first round of the playoffs.
But Horvat, the Islanders’ marquee in-season acquisition, was far from alone in struggling offensively. Among the team’s top nine forwards, only Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri, who had two goals and three assists apiece, had more than two points in the series. Fourth-line center Casey Cizikas, with a goal and two assists, was the next highest-scoring forward after Nelson and Palmieri.
The Islanders’ season ended with a 2-1 overtime loss in Friday night’s Game 6 at UBS Arena.
President and general manager Lou Lamoriello tried to bolster the Islanders’ inconsistent offense by acquiring Horvat from the Canucks on Jan. 30 for top forward prospect Aatu Raty, top-nine wing Anthony Beauvillier and a first-round pick in 2023, then importing left wing Pierre Engvall from the Maple Leafs on Feb. 28 for a third-round pick in 2024.
Engvall, a pending unrestricted free agent, had five goals and four assists in 18 regular-season games for the Islanders and a goal and an assist against the Hurricanes.
Horvat already had matched his career high of 31 goals to go with 23 assists in 49 games for the Canucks when he was acquired and quickly signed an eight-year, $68 million extension that begins next season. He finished with seven goals and nine assists in 30 regular-season games for the Islanders, then fizzled with one goal and one assist against the Hurricanes.
“This is a special group,” Horvat said after Friday’s final defeat. “I’m sure a lot of guys have said that. I’m proud to be here. I’m proud to be a New York Islander. Obviously, I hold myself a little bit accountable. You want to produce . . . I would have liked to have been on the scoresheet a little bit more and help the team offensively. It just wasn’t the case. It stinks that way.”
Horvat also was on the first power-play unit. The Islanders’ 1-for-18 (5.6%) showing on the man advantage was another key factor in their elimination.
“I definitely take ownership in having to be better,” Horvat said.
Again, Horvat was far from alone in struggling.
His line with Mathew Barzal, who returned to the lineup for Game 1 after a 23-game absence because of a knee injury, and Anders Lee totaled four goals and one assist. Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s third line with Zach Parise and Hudson Fasching recorded one assist. Nelson’s line with Palmieri and Engvall finished with five goals and seven assists.
“They were battling,” coach Lane Lambert said of his top nine. “They gave it absolutely everything they had. There wasn’t much ice out there for either team. That’s just the way the series went. It wasn’t easy.”
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.
