Barzal Dazzles, Drives Isles in Win Over New Jersey | NYHN+

If there were any concerns about Mathew Barzal’s game because of his late arrival to training camp, the 23-year-old has quickly dispelled them with his dominant play on Thursday night.

It was Barzal’s three points (1g, 2a) along with linemate Jordan Eberle’s two goals that pushed the Islanders to a 4-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils at Nassau Coliseum.

After the center got the Islanders on the board with their first goal of the year last week against the New York Rangers, he’d been kept off the scoresheet completely for the following two contests.

But he broke through with his first multi-point night of the year, playing a helping hand in the team’s first three goals Thursday.

“I mean Barzy is so dynamic, he can control the game,” Brock Nelson said after the win. “[He] demands the puck, and he can have it on his stick for extended periods of time. He can create some good looks for his linemates and everybody on the ice.

“When he gets going, he’s obviously our leader offensively — one of the best players in the league offensively. So we lean on him a lot.”

Much like his opening night strike against the Rangers, Mathew Barzal skated through the right side of the offensive zone with speed, but this time picked the far-side corner to beat goalie Scott Wedgewood up high.

It was one of Barzal’s team-leading five shots on goal, and helped set the tone for a strong end-to-end win for the Islanders. Through four games now, Barzal has generated 10 shots, which is tied for the most he’s taken through four games in his early career.

But it’s not just the quantity of chances but also the quality. Per Natural Stat Trick, Barzal so far has a team-leading 63.77 expected goals for percentage (skaters shoot to be above 50 percent). And in over 36 minutes of ice time together this year, Barzal, Eberle and Anders Lee have a 65.10 xGF percentage.

Despite all three having Corsi For percentages under 50 for the game, the trio each had seven high danger chances, which put pressure on the New Jersey defense.

Mathew Barzal did say passing will always be central to his game, like it was when his backcheck and chip pass off the wall set up Eberle’s first goal.

But in a 50-50 passing or shooting situation, he’s looking to “bear down and let one go.”

“I’m always trying to grow my game, I guess,” Barzal said. “But obviously the last couple of years be pass first and whatnot. I’d still say that’s my game. One of my best attributes, I think, could be my passing. It always has been.

Things haven’t been perfect in the offense in the early goings. But with good shot generation that the first line is producing, things could turn around like they did against New Jersey. A four-goal night after one score over two games is at the very least a change of pace on the scoreboard.

“I play with [Eberle] and [Lee] who are good at creating space and giving me chances,” Mathew Barzal added. “It was like that tonight.”