Isles need help for Tavares
This was Thursday night, and Jack Capuano’s Islanders had just beaten the previously undefeated Predators 43.
“Secondary scoring is going to have to pick up,” he said. “If you’re going to have any success in this league, you can’t rely on one guy and one line. It’s just not going to happen. So you need all four lines generating.”
The question had been about his transcendent captain, John Tavares, who had three goals and six points in the first four games and — are we doing this? — must be at the top of the extremely early Hart Trophy race as the Sharks visited Barclays Center on Saturday night.
But since Capuano has been here, now in his fifth full year behind the bench, he constantly has to figure out a way to supplement his superstar. That means finding the proper line mates for him, and also putting together a second and third line that has some offensive punch.
With the combo of Josh BaileyFrans NielsenKyle Okposo playing well to start the year, and the fourth line of Matt MartinCasey CizikasCal Clutterbuck fo cusing on being physical and energetic, the spotlight naturally turns to the third line.
That would be Nikolay KuleminMikhail GrabovskiBrock Nelson, who have generated some scoring chances, but have still left a lot to be desired at both ends of the rink.
“Structurally, they’ve got to be better,” Capuano said. “They’re generating some chances now, but we can’t give up oddman rushes. Just communicate with those guys and making sure they have an understanding of where they need to be, clock management, we talk about all the time.”
The good news for Capuano was starting goalie Jaroslav Halak (upperbody) made his season debut on Saturday night, as did steady defenseman Thomas Hickey (fractured thumb). But there still needed to be more from his secondary scoring, and that’s looking right at his third line.
“They’re a good offensive line,” Capuano said. “But you have to be sound defensively. But again, it’s early on in the season, the guys are still getting adjusted to each other. Brock was a centerman last year, he’s not playing the right side, so it’s starting to come for those guys.”