Islanders' defense pairings may continue to be adjusted
Islanders coach Lane Lambert looks on against the Calgary Flames at UBS Arena on Monday, Nov. 7, 2022 in Elmont, New York. Credit: Jim McIsaac
DALLAS — Much of the lineup focus lately for the Islanders has been on the forwards: How will coach Lane Lambert configure his lines? Will Josh Bailey remain a healthy scratch for Ross Johnston? Why did the team move on from Kieffer Bellows and Nikita Soshnikov as extra depth? Will a prospect be brought up from their AHL affiliate in Bridgeport? Is a trade coming?
But even though Lambert has kept his top six defensemen steady for 14 straight games, how he pairs his blueliners Saturday night against the Stars at American Airlines Center as the Islanders continue a four-game trek might not be a given.
Lambert certainly tinkered with his defense pairs during Thursday night’s 5-4 loss to the Predators before going back to where he started. The Islanders (11-7-0), who have won nine of 12 but have yielded the first goal 12 times, did not practice on Friday, so no lineup preview was available.
“Not a good start by us,” defenseman Noah Dobson said of the Predators’ 4-1 lead just 5:01 into the second period. “I thought we answered back pretty well. We had a terrible start but we could have won the game. We’ve just got to be ready to go from the start in Dallas.
“We’ve had some bad starts, but we’ve also had games where we’ve had great starts. I think we’ve just got to try and be a little more consistent over 60 minutes.”
Lambert started with his usual pairs: Dobson with Alexander Romanov, Adam Pelech with Ryan Pulock and Sebastian Aho with Scott Mayfield.
By the end of the first period, Pelech was skating with Dobson, Aho was with Pulock and Romanov was with Mayfield. Lambert restored the Aho-Mayfield pairing to start the second period while leaving Pelech with Dobson and Romanov with Pulock for a time.
Romanov was on the ice for the first three Predators goals and finished the game a minus-2 with an assist in 18:52. Per Natural Stat Trick, Romanov’s ixG (individual expected goals created) of 0.02 was the second worst for the Islanders on Thursday ahead of only left wing Zach Parise’s 0.01.
Romanov’s Corsi for of 46.34 was the lowest among the defensemen, though right wing Anthony Beauvillier (33.33) and center Casey Cizikas (38.46) were considerably lower and Johnston, who logged just 6:12 and didn’t take a shift in the third period, had a 10.00.
One game aside, president and general manager Lou Lamoriello has been pleased with Romanov, acquired for the 13th overall pick in July.
“He’s been excellent,” Lamoriello said. “He’s brought just what we thought he would bring. Physicality, commitment. Loves the game. Plays it hard. Just adds a dimension to our defense which makes it better.”
Romanov, 22, has five assists in 18 games and is tied with Pulock for fifth on the team with 37 credited hits.
Robin Salo, a second-round pick in 2017 in his second season in North America, has two goals in four games but has been the healthy scratch the past 18.
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.
