The Stanley Cup Playoffs are well underway, and the New York Islanders are experiencing great playoff success once again. The team knocked off the Pittsburgh Penguins in round one and will face off with the Boston Bruins in the second round.

[sendtonews key=”61GzZ21HBV-1338777-9119″ type=”single”]

For the Islanders, it seems like a daunting task. Boston is a very talented team with an elite “Perfection Line” of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, and David Pastrnak leading the charge, along with a re-emerging Taylor Hall. The defense is also stingy with Charlie McAvoy and Mike Reilly acting as their main difference-makers. Tuukka Rask isn’t necessarily what he was anymore, but he can still play solid hockey in net when needed. Add all the pieces together, and Boston is a very formidable foe heading into the second round.

However, despite Boston looking better on paper, the Islanders have the pieces to pull off the upset. A lot of what helped the Islanders to their playoff success in the 2020 playoffs helped them to defeat Pittsburgh, along with some new faces that came onto the scene this season.

For starters, the team’s best line in the bubble last season has reunited and continues to carry their end of the load. The line of Anthony Beauvillier, Brock Nelson, and Josh Bailey dominated in the opening round, and each one boasts a unique way of getting the job done. Beauvillier is, debatably, one of the best-conditioned players on the team, and his speed got the job done with two big goals in Games 5 and 6. His overall stats were spectacular with seven points, three goals, and four helpers, in the six-game series.

Josh Bailey isn’t necessarily the strongest of the three, but he is still an effective piece. He has a knack to score the timely goal when needed, particularly the first goal of Game 4 and a double-overtime winner in Game 5. However, the main calling card is his play-making ability, as he can set up a big play at any time. His production was also at a point-per-game level with three goals and assists in six games, as well as five points in the final three games.

Nelson, however, is a mix of both players. Not only can Nelson hold his own in the defensive zone, but he also boasts an underrated shot that can make an impact in the game. Nelson in particular dominated in the series-clinching game, putting up two goals and an assist in the contest, leading to three goals and three assists total. As a result, the names aren’t the most well-known around the league, but chemistry is everything when assembling a team, and this line is proof of that.

Another key piece has been another returning name in Jean-Gabriel Pageau. A perennial playoff performer, Pageau hasn’t necessarily had the scoring touch of his past few postseasons. However, he can put up the clutch performance when needed, and he did that in Game 1 with a big goal and two helpers. He also finished the series strong with a three-game assist streak to get six helpers in the series altogether.

However, a newcomer as one of his linemates has also helped him to succeed. Oliver Wahlstrom enjoyed a strong rookie season alongside Pageau, and he played a noticeable role at times throughout the series. Not only helping to set up Kyle Palmieri for the overtime winner in Game 1, but his shoot-first mentality helped to generate a goal and assist in the Game 4 win. If Wahlstrom is not given the “okay” to go tonight in Game 1 against the Bruins, look for the Islanders to keep Travis Zajac in the lineup where he was in Game 6 against the Penguins.

However, the true impact of the youth has come in net. Rookie goalie Ilya Sorokin dazzled when called upon throughout the series. He received a somewhat unexpected Game 1 start as Semyon Varlamov was not at 100%, but he kept the Islanders in the game with 39 saves on 42 shots. However, Varlamov struggled after coming back for the next two games, letting up several bad goals and giving the Penguins momentum. Even with the question marks surrounding starting Sorokin again, Barry Trotz went back to Sorokin, and he shut down Pittsburgh with several decisive performances. He won Game 4 with 29 saves, stole Game 5 with 48 stops, and slammed the door after a shaky start with 34 stops.

As a result, with the results these pieces showed in the opening round, the Islanders have a group that can beat the Boston Bruins. Their names aren’t quite as high-end, but the chemistry down the lineup is crucial to their success, and most of that team from 2020 remains. It will be an uphill battle for the Islanders to knock out another championship contender, but, as last year’s playoff success can attest, anything can happen when a team gets hot.

Matthew Page

I am a first year student at Hofstra University and an avid Islanders fan. I have been writing for Drive4Five since March 2020. My family has been season ticket holders for the team since 2016, and hockey is my favorite sport. As I expand my knowledge in the field of Journalism, I am writing to express my love for the Islanders and the NHL.