Barzal nets 1st hat trick
When Mathew Barzal scored his second goal of the first period Saturday, it marked the first time the Islanders center had recorded a multi-goal game in his brief NHL career. But why stop there? Adding another line to his Calder Trophy résumé, the rookie made it a hat trick with another goal in the third period to help secure a feel-good win for the Islanders, 5-2 over the Jets in a matinee at Barclays Center.
“It’s pretty cool,” Barzal said after tallying his 10th, 11th, and 12th goals of the year. “It was still a pretty tight game so I wasn’t going to cheat for any offense. I just wanted to play hard. That’s kind of how it works sometimes, you start cheating a bit and thinking about [a hat trick] and then it doesn’t really come. If you just stick to the game plan, the puck kind of bounces your way.”
With the goalies mired in a slump for the Islanders (19-13-4), Jaroslav Halak provided a bright spot, making 38 saves as he and the defense in front of him combined for one of their better efforts of late.
Barzal, meanwhile, continues to make history. After setting a single-game franchise rookie record with five assists Nov. 6, the 20-year-old tied the Islanders’ rookie singlegame goal record. He was the youngest Islander to net a hat trick since John Tavares (94 days younger) did it in 2011.
“We know how [Barzal] skates and controls the play, but he’s got composure at a young age,” coach Doug Weight said. “He’s got a lot of confidence right now. It’s fun to watch.”
Jordan Eberle picked up the primary assist on all three of Barzal’s goals, twice setting him up for one-timers from behind the net. The duo has flourished on the second line, along with Andrew Ladd.
“I think we still have a lot to give as far as producing more as a line,” Eberle said. “I think we can be really, really good.”
After a week of giving away gifts in the form of two-goal first-period leads — four times in their past five games before Saturday — the Islanders got selfish against the Jets (20-11-6) and bought one for themselves. Anders Lee and Barzal scored in the first 2:20 of the game, sending a buzz through the crowd of 13,589.
Lee’s 22nd goal of the year came on the power play, punching home a rebound, as Josh Bailey moved into a tie for the league lead with 36 assists early Saturday.
Barzal later shook off a bloody nose from a high stick to the face, showing no ill effects as he stickhandled his way free and skated to the back of the net before sending a shot out front that got deflected in for a 3-1 lead in the final minute of the first period.
“I don’t know if I’ve exceeded [my expectations],” Barzal said. “I’ve been given a great opportunity by the staff and lots of ice time and power play and playing with two good linemates. So no, I don’t think it’s a surprise.”
The second period was fairly quiet, but for a struggling goalie and defense, that was a welcome change. Halak had allowed a goal in seven straight periods before putting up a goose egg in the second.
Weight said before the game that his struggling goalie duo of Halak and Thomas Greiss had gone back to “a little more training-camp mentality” in recent practices, which began to pay off Saturday.
“It was a big two points after a couple bad games that we had in a row,” Halak said. “We just needed to look at the video, know where the goals were coming from and learn from it.”