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Fourth Line Dominance Helps Islanders Halt Avalanche’s 17-Game Point Streak
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- Fourth Line Dominance Helps Islanders Halt Avalanche’s 17-Game Point Streak
ELMONT, NY -- On Thursday night, the New York Islanders handed the Colorado Avalanche their second regulation loss of the season. A 6-3 by the Islanders snapped the Avalanche's 17-game point streak, a complete team effort.
While Mathew Barzal had a goal and two assists, and Bo Horvat and Anders Lee recorded a goal and an assist, the play of the fourth line was instrumental in getting the win.
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With Jonathan Drouin unable to go, head coach Patrick Roy elevated Maxim Tsyplakov from the fourth line to Barzal's wing, inserting Marc Gatcomb into the lineup for the first time since Oct. 11.
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He skated alongside Casey Cizikas and Kyle MacLean. Both moves paid dividends.
In 8:01 minutes on the ice, the Islanders fourth line outshot the Avalanche 5-2, scoring the game-opening goal to get the ball rolling for the Islanders, courtesy of Kyle MacLean.
Those three combined for four shots on goal. Casey Cizikas added an empty-net tally during the 5-on-6 situation, earning those minutes late because of his play throughout the game.
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"I mean, not to take anything away from Bo or Barzal or even Ritchie, but [the fourth line] played so hard and they spent so much time in the offensive zone," Roy said. "It was fun. They were fun to watch."
Not only were they getting pucks deep, but they were also forechecking at will. Gatcomb, who played the fewest minutes on the team (9:31 TOI), led the Islanders with four hits. Cizikas was second on the team with three hits, while MacLean recorded two.
"We've been forechecking well. We've been keeping it pretty simple," MacLean said postgame. Casey is really good up the middle at driving our line, and I think when we're forechecking, well, keeping it pretty simple, like tonight, I think...we turned some pucks over and just started the cycle. And I think that was effective. So I think we just got to keep doing that: Bring energy, bring pace, and be responsible as well."
We'll see what the lineup looks like against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night, the first of a back-to-back before facing the Florida Panthers on Saturday.
One would guess that this fourth line goes untouched, even if Drouin is ready to return.
