Game 1 Insights: Gritty Islanders Answer the Bell

Should we start calling the Islanders the comeback kids?

They certainly would be deserving of it after Wednesday’s Game 1 come from behind victory over the Washington Capitals. The Islanders rallied from a 2-0 deficit to win 4-2 after playing a less than stellar opening 40 minutes and giving the Capitals seven power-play chances.

Josh Bailey scored the game-winning goal in the third period and Anthony Beauvillier sealed the win with an insurance goal later on. Jordan Eberle and Anders Lee also scored for New York.

Isles Insights

1. Give the Islanders a lot of credit for hanging in there through a physical game and coming out on top. The Islanders certainly didn’t get off to the start they had hoped for, spending plenty of time in the penalty box through the first 40 minutes. In fact, they had taken six penalties through the first 36 minutes of the game.

The Islanders played sloppily and got away from their style of play for a better part of the game before they were able to shift the momentum in the closing minutes of the second period.

“We knew how the game was going. We knew we felt good,” Anders Lee said. “We were generating chances and they just hadn’t gone in at that point. Going into the third it was just that same mentality. Keep putting the foot on the gas and keep getting pucks to the net. All the things you talk about all the time. Just as a group we really settled in and played a smart period.”

2. What wasn’t smart was the number of penalties that the Islanders took on Wednesday. As previously stated the Islanders allowed the Caps seven chances on the man-advantage. Washington capitalized on two of those chances, which helped them build the 2-0 advantage in the second period.

It was the most out of character the Islanders have looked in some time. By comparison, the Isles had allowed the Florida Panthers just four penalties in the first two games of their Qualifying Round series combined. And the Panthers capitalized on just one of those opportunities during that span.

Barry Trotz had a pretty simple message for the penalty kill going forward after the game.

“Stay out of the box,” Trotz said. “They have a very good power play. So, let’s stay out of the box. Play hard and play the right way. We’ll see what the outcome is.”

3. Anthony Beauvillier continued his postseason success with a third-period goal in Game 1. It was the fifth consecutive playoff game that Beauvillier has registered a point in. Beauvillier also became just the fourth Islander in franchise history 23 years of age or young to record four or more goals through the first five games in a playoff series.

Beauvillier joins the likes of Clark Gillies, Mike Bossy and Pat Lafontaine as the only players to do so.

The 23-year-old winger has become one of the Islanders best postseason players this year. He was instrumental in helping to defeat the Panthers in the Qualifying Round and the Islanders will need him again in the First Round.

“I think he’s been improving for quite a while now and he’s been a big part of our offense,” Brock Nelson said about Beauvillier. “He’s found a way to chip in more and more as time has gone on. You can see his confidence is growing. When he’s playing fast and making plays he’s a threat every shift our there.”

4. The effort of Anders Lee is one that should definitely be talked about after the Islanders Game 1 win. Lee not only scored the game-tying goal 51 seconds into the third, but his ability to answer the bell in the first with Tom Wilson was another sign of the leadership he possesses.

Lee is not known as a fighter and to see him drop the gloves with the much more experienced pest in Wilson certainly gave the Islanders a bit of a momentum boost.

“It was great. It was a big moment of the game,” Josh Bailey said. “Wilson is obviously a good player. Plays hard and is tough. Leezy stepped up and then obviously a huge goal in the third. He definitely earned it tonight and was our first star.”

5. Johnny Boychuk took warmups with the Islanders, but didn’t get into the Game 1 lineup and Andy Greene remained on the blue line. Upfront, Leo Komarov remained on the third line with Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Derick Brassard.

Islanders coach Barry Trotz said that both players earned the time that got in the First Round opener.

“There was no reason to take them out,” Trotz said. “I thought Andy and Nick Leddy were really strong today. Leo plays a playoff type of game and the penalty kill. All those factors, that’s the reason why we stayed with the same lineup.”