Isles' top lines click in 6-2 win
New York Islanders' Mark Streit, left, is congratulated by teammate John Tavares after scoring the team's second goal in the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils. (Sept. 24, 2011) Credit: AP
Matt Moulson would just as soon know who his linemates are going to be as early as possible in the season.
"You want to start creating that chemistry as soon as you can," he said. "For me, I feed off my linemates and need to know their habits, where they're going to be. I think Johnny [Tavares] is the same way."
Coach Jack Capuano and his staff seem to be interested in doing the same. The Moulson-Tavares tandem was joined by Nino Niederreiter Saturday night rather than by PA Parenteau, who was on the right side with those two nearly all of last season, but there are clearly key combinations that Capuano wants to keep together from last season's positive stretch run.
The Kyle Okposo-Frans Nielsen-Michael Grabner line was a force over the final few months of 2010-11, and they were out there Saturday night in the Isles' 6-2 win over the Devils at Nassau Coliseum. Grabner used his speed to start a rush that Okposo finished for the Isles' first goal, and Nielsen had a power-play goal in the second.
Moulson scored twice and Tavares, who was in a high gear and creative with the puck all game long, had an assist.
While lots of teams use the preseason to search for the right line combinations, the Isles' top forwards have already meshed well. Moulson and Tavares clicked two years ago, and Parenteau's open-ice speed and nose for the puck complemented the other two well.
Niederreiter is still a raw 19-year-old, but his physical game and willingness to go in the high-traffic areas is intriguing already -- he created a lot of space for his linemates last night, and Tavares excels with more time and space to make plays.
"He's such a hard worker, he really already knows what it takes to get here and to stay here," Moulson said of Niederreiter. "He's so much more physical than a lot of other kids you see his age. He really stands out."
Grabner, who said he's about six pounds lighter than he was when he arrived to the Islanders just before the start of his wondrous rookie season, was flying Saturday night, creating chances and space for his linemates as well.
Mark Streit had a goal and two assists in his first game since April 11, 2010, and showed what he means to a power play that could also be a force -- he jumped off the point and buried a pass from Moulson in the first, then assisted on Nielsen's goal in the second.
The Isles were 3-for-6 on the power play with a first unit of Moulson, Tavares, Nielsen, Streit and Travis Hamonic.
"The easy answer is No. 2," Moulson said of Streit. "He makes it easy for the other four guys out there."
And with the continued clicking between players on the top two lines, it may be easier for Capuano to round out his forwards with more role-playing types.
"If you can get that chemistry early," Tavares said, "and you've got guys in good roles, you can sustain pressure better because every line can skate and forecheck and knows where the other guys will be. It goes up and down the lineup."
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