Islanders pleased with California trip
New York Islanders right wing Cal Clutterbuck, left, scores past Anaheim Ducks goalie Anton Khudobin during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Friday, Nov. 13, 2015. Credit: AP / Chris Carlson
The Islanders needed their offense to get going out west this past week, and it did, with four goals in each of their two wins.
That overshadowed the work of the Isles' defense, which has remained the most consistent part of their season through 18 games.
The Islanders allowed only five goals in their three games in California. More to their liking, their ability to exit their own zone and create chances off the rush flourished on this trip, where they had been fumbling away their transition game too often in the 1-3-2 skid before they left for the coast.
"We were able to exit the zone well, something we've been struggling with," Jack Capuano said after Friday night's 4-1 win over the Ducks in Anaheim. "It's something we've stressed in our practices and video work the last couple weeks. Tonight, we knew they'd come down the walls and we did a real good job working as a unit of five to get out of our zone with speed."
Capuano's switch to new defense pairs at the start of the trip, with Nick Leddy and Travis Hamonic the top pair and Calvin de Haan-Johnny Boychuk the second pair, worked well. And incorporating rookie Adam Pelech into the mix on Friday night for his NHL debut was seamless.
Pelech, 21, got the call-up for the road trip over Ryan Pulock and Scott Mayfield in large part because of the steadiness he brings to the ice. He showed that in his debut, making some confident plays and even jumping into the rush to nearly score his first goal in the second period, denied by the mask of Ducks goaltender Anton Khudobin.
"I thought it went pretty well," Pelech said. "Definitely some butterflies at the start, but once I got past the first shift, they went down a little, then some more after the first period. They came at us pretty hard but I thought we handled them well."
Playing in Anaheim on the back end of games on consecutive nights, the Islanders had an impressive third period. With the Ducks pressing for the tie in a 2-1 game, the Isles allowed only nine shots on Thomas Greiss, who was sharp as usual in not allowing more than two goals for a third straight start.
"I think our goaltending and defense has been good really all year," Capuano said. "They've given us a chance to win every game."
