Jack Capuano splits up Islanders' top two defense pairings

LOS ANGELES -- There wasn't anything wrong with the Calvin de Haan-Travis Hamonic pairing that played the first 15 games this season. It was ostensibly the second Islanders defense pair, but those two had just as many opposing top-line assignments as the pairing of Nick Leddy-Johnny Boychuk (they've been the team's No. 1 tandem since the start of last season).

The Leddy-Boychuk pair, on the other hand, hadn't been as good as it was for almost all of last season. Possession metrics were down and opposing scoring chances were up. So Jack Capuano decided to split up his top two defense pairs Tuesday in San Jose, pairing Leddy with Hamonic and de Haan with Boychuk. The result was a 4-2 win, even if the new pairs weren't directly the cause.

So they stayed in their new alignments Thursday night against the Kings.

"We have the most talented D corps on this team that I've ever been a part of, so to some extent I feel like we can be interchangeable," Hamonic said after the Islanders skated at the Staples Center on Thursday morning. "I don't think too much really changes."

The missing numbers for Capuano with the Leddy-Boychuk pairing were more on offense than defense. Boychuk scored his third goal of the season on Tuesday, a 70-foot slapper that fooled Sharks goaltender Alex Stalock, but the Isles defense has produced seven goals so far -- and two of those are from Thomas Hickey, still sidelined with a leg injury.

Leddy's rush produced John Tavares' quick goal 36 seconds into Tuesday's game, but Capuano said his defensemen are 13 points off last season's scoring total through 16 games.

"Sometimes it's good to switch it up," Capuano said. "It can spark the team."

Capuano has spoken before of wanting to balance his defense pairs: lefthanded and righthanded, puck-mover and more stay-at-home type. Hamonic has always had a physical edge but he and Leddy would seem to be the better two skaters of the top four.

"Nick's such a good skater, he hardly ever puts himself in danger," Hamonic said.

As for the de Haan-Boychuk pair, de Haan might see it as a chance to carry the mail a bit more. "It's more read and react on that," he said. "Maybe it's a chance to go a bit more with Johnny. He's not the most graceful guy out there but he always gets the job done."

That's been the key for the Islanders defense. Even with a dip in production and some spotty moments for the one-time top pair, the Islanders have been better in their own end this season, allowing two or fewer goals in eight of the last 11 games.

The goaltending has been the biggest key, but defense is close behind.

Notes & quotes: Jaroslav Halak started Thursday night with J-F Berube backing him up. Berube, claimed off waivers from the Kings last month, still has only played once (Oct. 10) for the Isles . . . Jhonas Enroth, Jonathan Quick's rarely used backup, got the start for the Kings.