The Islanders had no shortage of standout performances in their 3-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks, but the postgame hardware split between two players who made their mark in different ways. Mitchell Chaffee earned the hardest worker helmet in his Islanders debut, while Ondřej Palát picked up the team oar as player of the game.
Chaffee’s first night with New York came after he was recalled on Monday, and he played the kind of heavy game that has defined him. He registered a hit and dropped the gloves with A.J.
Greer, even while giving up both height and weight to Greer, who checked in at 6-foot-3 and 224 pounds. Chaffee is listed at 6-foot and 197 pounds.
“I think that's just kinda how we [Chaffee and Kyle MacLean] play,” Chaffee said on his physicality. “I think that's part of our games and our identity. I thought as the game went on, we got better, and I thought that we were pretty good tonight, and we'll continue to grow.”
The 27-year-old forward had played six games with the Hamilton Hammers this season, putting up six points with four goals and two assists before his call-up. He arrived with 108 NHL games already on his résumé, split between the Minnesota Wild and Tampa Bay Lightning. Against Anaheim, he skated on the fourth line with MacLean and Casey Cizikas.
“They [Chaffee and MacLean] did a great job,” Islanders Head Coach Pete DeBoer said. “I didn't have to hide them.
They had some shifts against their big guys. I thought they gave us energy, they gave us some physicality, they some really good puck possession shifts, especially in the third period.”
In a game that featured three different goal scorers and nine Islanders recording points, Chaffee’s debut effort and Palát’s role in the win were enough to separate them from the pack.
In Other News...
Stars Lose A Key Defensive Piece At The Worst Time
Scott Mayfields season has already been defined by a frustrating lack of ice time, and the latest sign points to that not changing against the Anaheim Ducks. The Islanders defenseman has appeared in only two games this season, leaving him on the outside looking in even as the club continues to manage its blue line and evaluate its options.
The situation has created an awkward backdrop for both player and team, especially with a full no-trade clause giving Mayfield control over his future for now. If the healthy scratches keep piling up, his name could become one to watch as the season moves along and the Islanders navigate a roster picture that still feels unsettled. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Still Have A Barzal Problem With No Clear End In Sight
Mathew Barzals absence has stretched from the start of training camp into the early part of the season, and the Islanders still do not have a clear answer on when he might get back on the ice. General manager Mathieu Darche said Barzal is dealing with inflammation in his left knee and remains without a timetable to resume practicing or playing, leaving the club to keep navigating life without one of its most important forwards.
The uncertainty around Barzal has only added to the attention around the roster, but Darche also pushed back on another item making the rounds. He said there is no truth to the rumor that defenseman Scott Mayfield is considering waiving his no-trade clause, noting that Mayfields agent was in town for unrelated reasons, which at least quiets one source of speculation while the bigger Barzal question lingers. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Win Showed Something Fans Have Been Waiting To See
A win over the Ducks at UBS Arena did more than add two points to the ledger. The Islanders looked organized, committed and harder to play against in a 3-2 victory that pushed their unbeaten run to 3-0-1, with Ilya Sorokin stopping 15 shots and the lineup finding enough balance to get scoring from different spots even while missing pieces.
Pete DeBoer still pointed to the kind of finishing issues that can turn a comfortable night into a tense one, but there was also a real sign of progress in a special teams area that has drawn plenty of attention. The power play produced, the defense held its shape and, for once, the Islanders gave fans the sort of structured, connected performance they have been waiting to see more often. [Read more 🡒]