The New York Islanders didn't play their best game against the Vancouver Canucks, but they were able to end their three-game homestand at UBS Arena on a high note, winning 3-2 .
One of their points of emphasis entering the game was to get off to a stronger start. Through five games, they had only one first-period goal. Against the Canucks they accomplished that feat, scoring twice before the first intermission.
The Islanders seemed to take their foot off the gas a bit in the second period, heading into the final stanza tied 2-2. But that aggressiveness and determination returned, leading to a much-needed victory.
Part of that success was another blue line change by head coach Peter DeBoer. With Alexander Romanov suffering a season-ending injury against the New York Rangers, the lineup had to be adjusted.
Scott Mayfield was inserted into the lineup for two games, but he was a healthy scratch against Vancouver. Instead, Matthew Kessel was inserted into the lineup, and he made an immediate impact, recording a secondary assist on the first goal of the game by Kyle Palmieri.
Generating offense is something DeBoer has been focused on in the early going. He will shake up lines in the middle of the game to find a spark, and Kessel was able to provide one in his season debut.
"It's obviously just trying to stay steady for me," Kessel said, via Tyler Millen of NHL.com . "You don't want to get too amped up and thinking way too much. You just want to be confident in your game. Focus on your few things that makes you a good hockey player and what got you here. And so I think it's just those things, and it makes it easier out there to take those couple of things, focus on those things, just play your game, and it's good to get one in after obviously playing some preseason games, but good to get the first regular season game in there."
Improved depth and production up and down the lineup is something viewed as a strength in New York. Kessel taking the ice for the first time and recording an assist in his debut is an example of that.
He slid right into Mayfield's spot as the partner for Tony DeAngelo . The Islanders are going to have to figure out how to balance their lineup, with so many right-handed options currently in the mix, but having someone as talented and versatile as Matthew Schaefer to bring it all together certainly makes it easier to pull off.
Signed to a one-year deal this offseason, the game against the Canucks was the 100th NHL appearance of Kessel's career after he spent the last four seasons with the St. Louis Blues.
He has certainly earned himself another opportunity in the lineup and should be on the ice again when New York returns to action on Oct. 15 against the Ottawa Senators.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nhl/islanders/onsi as Another NY Islanders Blue Line Change Yields Positive Results .
