It’s no secret that Bo Horvat helped turn the New York Islanders’ season around. They were 25-22-5 when he was acquired and were stumbling into the All-Star Break. He provided the spark that the team desperately needed and helped them go 17-9-4 in the second half of the season to clinch a playoff spot and secure the top wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.
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The Islanders are about to face the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, a matchup that puts two teams that win with defense and timely scoring against one another. In this type of matchup, Horvat is the player that can decide the series. The playoffs can often be decided by the elite players and now that the Islanders have one, he needs to step up and play like one. He has been great but will need to play at another level if they hope to beat the Hurricanes.
How Horvat Turned The Islanders Into Contenders
Horvat is the elite player the Islanders have needed in their top six for years as he is a goal scorer that can also create scoring chances from the center position. He never became the goal scorer the Islanders hoped he’d be when they acquired him at the All-Star Break, scoring only seven goals and nine assists in 27 games. However, he has upgraded the roster across the board, making the team better in every facet of the game.
Along with creating scoring opportunities on the top line, Horvat often set the tone when he was on the ice. More importantly, he helped the Islanders control the puck in all three zones. From winning faceoffs to being the primary puck handler, he allowed them to control the game when he was on the ice. Moreover, he was a defensive forward that helped turn the defense into one of the best in the NHL. Centering the top line he limited opponents from creating effective shots and often created turnovers with both a strong forecheck and backcheck.
In the second half of the season, the Islanders won with their defense. They allowed only 2.60 goals per game since the All-Star Break and only 2.55 goals per game in games since March. The defensive unit and elite goaltending have played a big role in the defensive success but Horvat has also been a significant contributor. His defense helped the Islanders make the playoffs but the first round series will be defined by his skillset on the offensive end of the ice.
Horvat Needs To Shoot More
While Horvat has been great, he needs to become an elite goalscorer. Specifically, the Islanders need the skater that scored 31 goals in 49 games with the Vancouver Canucks to become the team’s All-Star selection. They are about to play in a lot of close, low-scoring games, where the first goal can be the most decisive one. They will need clutch goals and their top-six players to step up, especially Horvat who will center the top line throughout the series.
The key for Horvat will be optimizing his shot. He has arguably the best shot on the team but the Islanders haven’t seen it at full display as he’s been the primary puck handler on his line, forcing him to become a pass-first player. Horvat will continue to carry the puck into the offensive zone but he needs to be more aggressive and fire the puck on the net, even if the shots are from difficult angles. The Hurricanes’ defense is one of the best in the NHL, something the Islanders saw firsthand in a 3-0 loss on Dec. 10 and a 2-1 loss on April 2. They allowed only 2.56 goals per game this season but their goaltending isn’t elite and can be put to the test with a surplus of shots.
Additionally, Horvat needs to be more aggressive on the power play. The Islanders have looked hapless with the man advantage all season, scoring on only 15.77 percent of their opportunities, making the unit more of a liability than an advantage. In the playoffs, a strong power play is crucial to success, especially when goals are hard to come by. Along with more effective passes in the offensive zone, Horvat shooting the puck and creating chaos near the net will help turn the unit around for the upcoming series.
Horvat’s Role Against the Hurricanes
Horvat will center the top line and will be asked to continue to create scoring chances. Against a Hurricanes defensive unit that has Jaccob Slavin, Brady Skjei, and Brett Pesce, that will be a tall task. He won’t be given any easy scoring opportunities and on the contrary, he’ll need to create open shots for himself and the rest of the offense. He’ll be asked to aggressively shoot the puck but if the situation calls for it, he’ll need to slow the game down and maintain possession, forcing the opposition to get impatient and make a mistake.
Likewise, Horvat will often be on the ice against one of the Hurricanes’ top lines whether it’s the Sebastian Aho-led line or the Martin Necas one. The Islanders tend to play the fourth line against the opponent’s top lines, as Casey Cizikas, Matt Martin, and Cal Clutterbuck are great at removing skaters from the puck with strong hits, especially in the offensive zone. However, this series will see Horvat’s line on the ice when one of the Hurricanes’ top six lines is on the ice.
The Hurricanes love to create open shots with quick cross-ice passes and speed on the rush. Likewise, they often find the back of the net with shots from the point that zip through traffic, most notably from Brent Burns who leads the defense with 18 goals and 43 assists. As a result, Horvat needs to control the middle of the ice and limit passing lanes on the rush while preventing shots from the blue line from getting through traffic. This series will test the Islanders’ centers, especially defensively and Horvat is the one best suited to stop the Hurricanes’ offense.
Horvat Can Rediscover His Scoring With Barzal Back
Mathew Barzal is back with the Islanders. After missing the second half of the season with a lower-body injury, he returned to the ice and will join the team for the upcoming series. The Islanders made the playoffs without him but they lacked an elite playmaking presence down the stretch. Against the Hurricanes, he will be crucial to the team’s success.
With Barzal returning, Horvat will be reunited with him on the top line and the two stars will complement each other. In the seven games they played together, they combined for five goals and seven assists, and particularly, Horvat benefited from Barzal’s passing and playmaking ability. Both players are entering the prime of their careers and are difference-makers in the top six, and together are a duo that is tough for any defense to stop.
In this series, the Islanders can oddly enough give the Hurricanes a taste of their own medicine. The Hurricanes thrive on cross-ice passes and beating teams with great puck movement, especially in space. Barzal and Horvat can create scoring chances with their skating ability and quick passes in the offensive zone. The Hurricanes’ defense is great at limiting shooting lanes but the Islanders will have a playmaker that can provide Horvat with open shots near the net.
How the Hurricanes Will Prepare for Horvat
The Hurricanes will watch out for Horvat’s shot and clog the shooting lanes to prevent him from finding the back of the net. Pesce and Slavin, who lead the team in blocked shots with 110 and 103 respectively, will play a big role in stopping Horvat and daring someone else on the Islanders to beat them. Ideally, the Hurricanes will want the puck off his stick and they will dare the other skaters on the Islanders, specifically Barzal, to shoot the puck on the net.
Ultimately, this series will come down to Horvat’s ability to find open shots in the offensive zone. The Hurricanes will keep a close eye on him and always have a skater nearby to prevent him from taking over the series. He needs to create open shots by finding space to operate in the offensive zone to take advantage of his quick shot.