Wisniewski has something to prove against Ducks

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Three months ago, James Wisniewski received a fateful call on his cell phone as he was leaving the gym after a rigorous workout.

Four days after returning from his honeymoon and a mere four hours after Anaheim avoided arbitration and signed him to a one-year, $3.25-million deal, Wisniewski was informed he had been traded to the Islanders for a conditional third-round pick.

Since that whirlwind day on July 30, Wisniewski has embraced his role with the Islanders, one that comes with more responsibility and opportunity than he'd ever been awarded with previous teams.

Maybe the Ducks didn't envision him as a top-pair defenseman or a first power-play unit player, but the Islanders do. And Wisniewski was motivated to show why heading into last night's contest.

"Absolutely," he said. "You always want to show them what they're missing. That's the best part about it. You get to go back and prove what you're worth.

"I spent a year and a half here and it was a good year and a half," Wisniewski said after the Islanders' morning skate. "It jump-started my hockey career and it will be fun playing against them."

That said, the Ducks' view of Wisniewski's value didn't quite coincide with what he thought to be his potential.

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"You can't pressure somebody or make them see what you see in yourself," he said. "The Islanders see me as a different player, so hopefully it works out for both teams."

Wisniewski logged plenty of minutes and finished with a career-high 30 points last season with Anaheim, and the Islanders have given him an even better chance to flourish, particularly on the power play.

The 26-year-old Canton, Mich., native entered last night's game tied for fifth among NHL defensemen in scoring with 12 points, 11 of which have come on the power play.

"When he winds up he's certainly got a cannon back there," said Wisniewski's former teammate, Ducks forward Bobby Ryan.

Islanders coach Scott Gordon said it's not just the power within his shot, however, that brings him success.

"It's also his ability to get it through," Gordon said. "That itself is a skill that's hard to teach."

Wisniewski hopes the team's power play, which ranked seventh in the league heading into last night's game, can help lead the Islanders out of a seven-game losing streak against the streaking Ducks, who are riding a four-game winning streak.

"To be honest, I think that's what hurt us during this losing streak," Wisniewski said. "Three games in a row we didn't score a power-play goal and then we scored a power-play goal against Philly and lost, 2-1, so we can't lose special-team battles.

"With this day and age and the game the way it is, you're getting four or five power plays and you've got to get one or two a game to boost your offense."