{"id":418806,"date":"2022-03-20T08:49:44","date_gmt":"2022-03-20T05:49:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/happy-accident-makes-islanders-best-top-line-combination\/"},"modified":"2022-03-20T08:49:44","modified_gmt":"2022-03-20T05:49:44","slug":"happy-accident-makes-islanders-best-top-line-combination","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/happy-accident-makes-islanders-best-top-line-combination\/","title":{"rendered":"#Happy accident makes Islanders best top line combination"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a27394a82ee3\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a27394a82ee3\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/happy-accident-makes-islanders-best-top-line-combination\/#%E2%80%9CHappy_accident_makes_Islanders_best_top_line_combination%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Happy accident makes Islanders best top line combination&#8221;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CHappy_accident_makes_Islanders_best_top_line_combination%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;Happy accident makes Islanders best top line combination&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module alignleft\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>Earlier this season, Islanders coach Barry Trotz admitted he\u2019d be remiss to split up Anders Lee and Mathew Barzal on the team\u2019s top forward line.<\/p>\n<p>But when Barzal missed a handful of <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/game\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"7\" title=\"Game\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">game<\/a>s with an injury earlier this month, it forced the Islanders to play Brock Nelson in that role. Sometimes, the best ideas come by accident.<\/p>\n<p>Since Barzal\u2019s return, the top line has stayed that way, with Nelson centering Lee and Beauvillier. It is easy to see why.<\/p>\n<p>After the Islanders\u2019 4-2 win Saturday over the Stars, the threesome has a 59.26 expected goals rate compared to a 57.14 actual goals rate. Nelson added to the tally with a hat trick against Dallas to buttress Lee\u2019s recent points-scoring tear.<\/p>\n<p>As it turns out, this configuration works, and the Islanders are reaping the rewards.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLeesy can keep pucks alive down low and then Beau and Nelly, they\u2019ve had good chemistry for a number of years here,\u201d Trotz said. \u201cIt gives us some weight down low, keeps more pucks alive in the offensive zone.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/03\/islandersnelson.2.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-21590618\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/03\/islandersnelson.2.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=2048 2048w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/03\/islandersnelson.2.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/03\/islandersnelson.2.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/03\/islandersnelson.2.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Brock Nelson has jumped onto the Isles\u2019 top line, forming a powerful combination with Anders Lee and Anthony Beauvillier.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Robert Sabo<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>For a long time, Trotz said, he wanted Lee next to Barzal to add some size to the skillful center\u2019s left. Recently, he\u2019s come to realize that may not be so necessary.<\/p>\n<p>This first line can create off the forecheck, as opposed to just the rush. That was evident in Nelson\u2019s second goal, assisted by Beauvillier and Lee after the Islanders forced the issue in the Dallas zone.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module alignright\">\n    <\/aside>\n<p>\u201cI think Beau\u2019s playing extremely well,\u201d Nelson said. \u201cLots of speed, obviously, quickness, can make plays. You can try to get open, [he] can get you some pucks, some good looks. And Leesy, he\u2019s been one of the hottest players in the league. You get him some pucks right now, he\u2019s feeling good.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Nelson\u2019s hat trick, completed via an empty-net goal 20 seconds before time expired, came almost via coincidence. All three goals were in the third period of a game in which the Islanders walked the tightrope.<\/p>\n<p>That made for a postgame atmosphere in which Nelson\u2019s second hat trick of the season (the first was in Montreal in early November) was a bit of an afterthought.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYeah, it\u2019s nice,\u201d Nelson said. \u201cI think it\u2019s a byproduct of a nice pass by Beau, the power play, just being in different spots, it\u2019s nice to contribute.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnybody who on our team gets a hat trick, it\u2019s probably a good day,\u201d Trotz said.<\/p>\n<p>It was then pointed out to him that all three came in the same period.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYeah, good period,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s all good.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n<p>Asked if trade speculation was affecting Semyon Varlamov, who keyed the Islanders to victory with 37 saves, Trotz said he hadn\u2019t heard that Varlamov would be dealt ahead of Monday\u2019s deadline.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s you guys speculating,\u201d he said. \u201cI haven\u2019t heard anything that he\u2019s going anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n<p>Ryan Pulock\u2019s second period slap shot goal clocked in at 100.8 miles per hour, per MSG.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n<p>The Islanders honored Jean Potvin, their former defenseman who died Tuesday, with a moment of silence and video tribute.\n                        <\/p><\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News<\/a> articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2022\/03\/20\/happy-accident-makes-islanders-best-top-line-combination\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Happy accident makes Islanders best top line combination&#8221; Earlier this season, Islanders coach Barry Trotz admitted he\u2019d be remiss to split up Anders Lee and Mathew Barzal on the team\u2019s top forward line. But when Barzal missed a handful of games with an injury earlier this month, it forced the Islanders to play Brock Nelson&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":418807,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/03\/islandersnelson.2.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=1024","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70897],"tags":[127007,71132,96692,70951],"class_list":["post-418806","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-3-20-22","tag-barry-trotz","tag-brock-nelson","tag-new-york-islanders"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/418806","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=418806"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/418806\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/418807"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=418806"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=418806"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=418806"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}