Rare Trotz change pays off
Barry Trotz memorably told a reporter that he could “play fantasy hockey” all he wants when the Islanders head coach fielded questions about why Kyle Palmieri wasn’t skating on the top line with Mathew Barzal and Jordan Eberle.
But Trotz changed his tune Saturday night after the Islanders’ pulled out a 3-2 win over the Lightning to even the Stanley Cup semifinal series at two wins apiece, in a game where the 58year-old shuffled his top line early to feature the aforementioned trio.
ISLES NOTES
“It’s something I’ve been contemplating each game,” Trotz said. “They’re going to be lowscoring games. I don’t think we can get into a track meet with this team. The [Lightning] finish so well. I had last change, I felt there was more cadence in this game. I felt that would be an easier switch for me. We’ll see what we do next game.”
After swapping Leo Komarov with Palmieri for much of the first two periods, the first line had some good zone time against the Lightning. According to Natural Stat Trick, Palmieri, Barzal and Eberle created three scoring chances in 7:31 of ice time together. Trotz made the adjustment once the Lightning began to swarm in the Isles’ zone early in the first period.
Trotz has been heavily pressed on why he won’t make the switch permanent. Considering Palmieri and Barzal have been on the ice together for four goals in 21:51 this postseason, per Natural Stat Trick, there’s no question the two forwards have chemistry. While the adjustment is Trotz’s go-to when Komarov needs a breather after being on the penalty kill, the coach seemingly likes to keep his lines balanced. The Palmieri-Jean-Gabriel Pageau-Travis Zajac group has been successful during this playoff run — particularly against the Lightning.
When an offensive spark was needed, however, the top line was the first one to get shuffled.
With a goal in Game 4 Saturday, the Lightning’s Brayden Point extended his goal streak to seven games, which marks the longest by a player in the Stanley Cup playoffs since Claude Lemieux had a run of equal length over 24 years ago.