Peter DeBoer wanted a spark after the Islanders opened the season with a 2-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, and his revamped second line gave him exactly that in the home opener.
At UBS Arena, New York blew past the New Jersey Devils in a 6-0 win, the kind of night that spread the offense around in a big way. Six different Islanders scored, 11 players picked up at least one point, and four players finished with multi-point games.
Two of those multi-point nights came from the new-look second line DeBoer put together, a mix of youth and experience that clicked right away. Right winger Victor Eklund and center Cal Ritchie, two of the youngest and least experienced players on the roster, flanked Brayden Schenn, one of the team’s veterans, and the trio immediately made noise.
Eklund, in his third NHL game, scored the first goal of his career, and it came on his birthday. He also added an assist, giving him one of those four multi-point performances.
Schenn was right there with him. He scored New York’s second goal of the night, with assists from Eklund and star defenseman Matthew Schaefer. Later, Schenn also picked up an assist on Eklund’s goal, with Ritchie joining in on that setup.
The veteran winger was active everywhere, tying for the team lead with four shots on goal alongside Casey Cizikas, Ondrej Palat and Bo Horvat. He also matched defenseman Logan Stanley for the team lead with four hits.
The numbers backed up what the eye test said. According to Hockey Stats, that line logged 8:28 together and posted an expected goals for of 1.02, an expected goals against of 0.82 and an xGoal Share of 55.4%.
It was the second-most productive line combination on the team. The “fourth line” of Casey Cizikas, Matias Maccelli and Ondrej Palat produced an xGF of 0.46, an xGA of 0.08 and an xGoal Share of 84.7%.
DeBoer has already made clear he won’t treat the lineup in a rigid, traditional way, preferring to mix and match based on who’s rolling on a given night. Still, he’ll open with some structure, and the Eklund-Ritchie-Schenn trio has already earned another look.
In Other News...
Islanders Just Gave Fans A New Locker Room Tradition To Watch
The Islanders have added a fresh wrinkle to their postgame routine for the 2026-27 season, swapping out last years Iron Man mask for two new team awards meant to spotlight both impact and effort. One is a custom canoe paddle for the player of the game, while the other is an orange hard hat with ear muffs for the hardest worker, a nod to the kind of locker room traditions that can help a team build chemistry over the long haul.
The new setup already had a debut worth remembering after New Yorks 6-0 home-opening win over the New Jersey Devils. Ilya Sorokin took home the paddle after his shutout, while Casey Cizikas earned the hard hat for a night that included a goal and assist, giving the Islanders an early look at how the new honors will play out inside a room that seems intent on making every win feel a little more connected. [Read more 🡒]
Former Islanders Forward Is Already Sparking A Familiar Debate
Marc Gatcombs move from Long Island to Vegas was always going to draw a little attention in Islanders circles, even if it was more of a depth addition than a headline-grabbing departure. The hard-working former Islanders forward spent 88 games with New York over the last two seasons, carving out a niche as a player who could be trusted in limited chances and brought some edge to the fourth-line mix. That kind of profile tends to travel well, and it did again this summer when he landed with the Golden Knights.
Now Gatcomb is already giving Vegas exactly the sort of return that can stir up familiar debate back home. He made the opening night roster and then found the net against Vancouver, a reminder of how quickly a role player can become a useful piece when given a fresh chance. For the Islanders, it is the kind of early-season development that inevitably prompts the old question about whether a depth forward was underappreciated, or simply in the right place at the right time. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Fans Have Early Reason To Watch The Rangers Closely
The Rangers have opened the season 3-1, and for Islanders fans keeping one eye across town, there is already enough there to take note of. Their 4-2 win over the Utah Mammoth showed a group leaning early on its defensive structure and developing chemistry, and coach Mike Sullivan has been quick to point to those traits as the foundation for a long season rather than just a hot start.
Vladislav Gavrikov and Sean Durzi both echoed that tone after the win, underscoring how connected the team has looked in the early going. Igor Shesterkin even chipped in with an assist, another reminder that the Rangers are getting contributions all over the ice while trying to build momentum they hope can last well beyond October. [Read more 🡒]