TORONTO — Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock, back within the fold for the Islanders.
Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock, back on a pair together again.
And all was right within the Islanders’ world.
Monday’s 3-2 win over the Maple Leafs was just the ninth time this season — and the primary time since Nov. 24 — that the Islanders began the night with a very healthy defense corps.
And it was the primary time since Game 6 of last 12 months’s playoffs against the Hurricanes that Pelech and Pulock skated together on a pair, with Pelech having returned from a presumed head injury and Pulock from a lower-body ailment.
If anything was needed for a team whose defense has been sorely lacking all season, it was just that.
“It was good,” Pulock said. “I feel after being out that long, that first period was tough. Just pace and stuff, getting back in it. I attempted keeping it easy. Tried to take short shifts. Obviously, I believed we played a reasonably good game.”
Islanders coach Patrick Roy was less reserved after each returnees put in slightly over 20 minutes of ice time that didn’t look particularly rusty.
“Wow, what a performance for those two guys,” Roy said. “They were rock-solid they usually were controlling the sport. Obviously I didn’t know Pulock that much, but was pretty impressed by his performance tonight. He’s a extremely good defenseman. Obviously he’s gonna help us quite a bit.”
It’s been an extended time since Pelech and Pulock played together commonly on a pair, thanks partially to injuries they’ve each handled over the past few seasons, and to Alexander Romanov and Noah Dobson not immediately clicking at the beginning of 2022-23.
Those aspects had combined to necessitate a breakup of what had once been one in every of the NHL’s best pairs.
But Romanov and Dobson have found enough chemistry with one another to be the Islanders’ top pair since they’ve been put together this season.
And Pelech and Pulock are each healthy now.
If that continues to be the case, it looks just like the path is evident for them to be together and stay together.
After scoring his first NHL goal within the second period, Kyle MacLean got to share the moment together with his dad, John, on the bench.
“Happened pretty quick. I blacked out almost,” MacLean said. “It’s definitely cool seeing it cross the road and realizing I scored. So it was special.”
Casey Cizikas (lower body) made the trip to Toronto and skated with the group Monday morning, wearing a non-contact jersey.
Monday was Bo Horvat’s 700th NHL game.
