Post-Game Talk: #21| Pittsburgh Penguins @ New York Islanders | February 28th | 5:00 PM | F/W 2-0

[NC 1972]

A big f***ing THANK YOU to the teams in front of us that let Wahlstrom and Dobson slip to us. Shades of the 2015 draft where we got gifted Barzal and Beauvillier. 2015 and 2018 were great years for us.

Mike Bossy drafted 15Th Rangers with picks 8 & 13 pick DeBlois and Duguay. A nother great draft coup.

 

[NC 1972]

it's impossible not to love Pageau. He's heart and soul give it all.

And that is what we were told by all the Ottawa fans that visited our board after the trade,and they were correct.

 

[NC 1972]

I thought Wahlstrom was a little one dimensional, but this kid is proving that he's more than just a shooter. Has real good hockey IQ and vision

Funny I recall people here saying his Hockey IQ was low that's the reason he fell to us .

 

[BelovedIsles]

Textbook Isles hockey, great job suffocating the Pens in front of Sorokin. If it weren't for that odd Crosby goal Saturday, this would've been a sweep.

I like the balanced scoring, the ability to roll 4, dependable lines. The rookies contributing. Happy for Wahlstrom that he was able to score his vintage kind of goal. Have to work that play more often; as he learns how to get to the soft spots at the NHL level, the goals will come.

Keep it going.

 

[leeroggy]

Yeah - needs beer.

 

[crasherino]

Textbook Isles hockey, great job suffocating the Pens in front of Sorokin. If it weren't for that odd Crosby goal Saturday, this would've been a sweep.

I like the balanced scoring, the ability to roll 4, dependable lines. The rookies contributing. Happy for Wahlstrom that he was able to score his vintage kind of goal. Have to work that play more often; as he learns how to get to the soft spots at the NHL level, the goals will come.

Keep it going.

We just need one of MDC or Bellows to step up into a regular contributing role and we've patched up our holes. 4 contributing lines is the hallmark of this Islander team. Personally, I would love for Tito to play with JGP and Wahl-y and have MDC or Bellows play on Nelson's line. Only works if either of those LWs step up though.

 

[MJF]

Pulock's shot is still a threat, but not the threat we thought it would be. He's like more talented Johnny Boychuk than a Shea Weber. Needless to say, he's been a joy to watch, and having him paired with Pelech has done wonders for his defensive game.

Exactly right and I'm going to have to refocus my expectations of Ryan Pulock. As long as he continues to play lockdown defense as he's doing now he can have a nice long career in the NHL. I'm surprised and frankly a little disappointed Pulock hasn't been able to make better use of his heavy shot by now. As you said, his shot is more like Johnny Boychuk's than Shea Weber's. Pully's blast is not accurate enough and he doesn't have a quick enough release. He cranks it like JB did, telegraphs that the shot is coming. Pulock never developed a one-timer. Compare that to what Oliver Wahlstrom does. THAT shot on the JGP power play goal was a one-timer.

I always hoped Pulock would be a 10-15 goal defenseman in the NHL. Certainly at this point in our season I thought he'd have 3 or 4 goals by now. Maybe he'll be a 5-10 goal defenseman in this league, but not the goal scorer I hoped he'd be, unless he starts getting more shots on goal and less airmails.

 

[MJF]

The Penguins aren't very good in their own end, are they?

 

[SayItAintSoJohnny]

My concern is with Eberle. He seems to disappear on the top line, yet flourish on the second. Of course now the playoff-success of the Beau/Nelson/Bailey line is starting to bear fruit, so I am probably leaving things as is.

Too early to promote Ollie all the way to the top line and move Eberle down to third, so we continue to run with what seems to be working overall. Hopefully the top line can start clicking again.

MDC, despite his limitations; has still been the best rotational LW we have been using. Without a doubt though we are filling that permanent third line wing spot opposite Olly away from finally having a solid 12. Uncle Leo and the rest can be emergency options only.

As for the blueline, we are still going to need a seventh defender before this season is over and I am curious on who that will be. Looks like Lou is leaning on Greene more of late. Dobson is playing better defensively and with his decisions but still seems timid and predictable up top in the offensive zone. Ready for him to break out and then we will really be flying.

Nice to finally beat the team we kept on out playing only to lose. LGI

 

[BelovedIsles]

We just need one of MDC or Bellows to step up into a regular contributing role and we've patched up our holes. 4 contributing lines is the hallmark of this Islander team. Personally, I would love for Tito to play with JGP and Wahl-y and have MDC or Bellows play on Nelson's line. Only works if either of those LWs step up though.

And even if one of the aforementioned do not, the lines are in good shape. In Bellows' first few games I thought he played well as a checking, N-S winger; with injuries I am sure he gets another chance. His speed wasn't an issue, he checked, generated some chances.

MDC has turned himself into a useful 4th liner. Always need that depth, Lord knows the 4th line will get dinged up along the way.

 

[PK Cronin]

Funny I recall people here saying his Hockey IQ was low that's the reason he fell to us .

In this case it seems like the hockey IQ is directly related to the fact he's never been taught how and why he has to play a certain way, not that he's incapable of doing it.

My concern is with Eberle. He seems to disappear on the top line, yet flourish on the second. Of course now the playoff-success of the Beau/Nelson/Bailey line is starting to bear fruit, so I am probably leaving things as is.

Too early to promote Ollie all the way to the top line and move Eberle down to third, so we continue to run with what seems to be working overall. Hopefully the top line can start clicking again.

MDC, despite his limitations; has still been the best rotational LW we have been using. Without a doubt though we are filling that permanent third line wing spot opposite Olly away from finally having a solid 12. Uncle Leo and the rest can be emergency options only.

As for the blueline, we are still going to need a seventh defender before this season is over and I am curious on who that will be. Looks like Lou is leaning on Greene more of late. Dobson is playing better defensively and with his decisions but still seems timid and predictable up top in the offensive zone. Ready for him to break out and then we will really be flying.

Nice to finally beat the team we kept on out playing only to lose. LGI

On the second line he's a line driver and controls the puck, on the first line he defers too much to Barzal. He and Lee are both constantly looking to feed Barzal the puck instead of doing something else, they'd be wise to mix it up a bit more.

 

[NC 1972]

In this case it seems like the hockey IQ is directly related to the fact he's never been taught how and why he has to play a certain way, not that he's incapable of doing it.



On the second line he's a line driver and controls the puck, on the first line he defers too much to Barzal. He and Lee are both constantly looking to feed Barzal the puck instead of doing something else, they'd be wise to mix it up a bit more.

Never said he was incapable, in fact always thought the opposite.

 

[PK Cronin]

Never said he was incapable, in fact always thought the opposite.

I was agreeing with you.

 

[periferal]

@periferal, as someone who has been adamant that the PP would never improve until forward talent was acquired, is this run an illusion or are Wahlstrom and Dobson gonna be the long term difference makers?

Wasn't sure if this was a serious question, but regardless I'll just leave this here...


"...Wahlstrom’s play of late may make that sort of juggling act moot. The 20-year-old wing has filled a much-needed role that this team sought the past couple of years: One who can hold his own five-on-five, then turn the power play into a real weapon. Since he was added to the power play on Feb. 11, the Isles are 8-for-20 (40 percent), and Wahlstrom has figured in five of those goals. He has more power-play points than Mathew Barzal."

 

[13th Floor]

In this case it seems like the hockey IQ is directly related to the fact he's never been taught how and why he has to play a certain way, not that he's incapable of doing it.

It's worse than that re: Eberle. He doesn't become a feed Barzal only player. He becomes a puck retriever in the corner from the inevitable point shot that Barzal sets up. Lee can play that game, but it's asking for Eberle to do the thing he's worst at.


On the second line he's a line driver and controls the puck, on the first line he defers too much to Barzal. He and Lee are both constantly looking to feed Barzal the puck instead of doing something else, they'd be wise to mix it up a bit more.