To understand how the Islanders have made it through the past two weeks with their defense thriving instead of self-combusting — suffering injury after injury but still helping anchor a seven-game winning streak that ended on Sunday in Florida — start with Alexander Romanov.
The 25-year-old Russian is having a moment right now. This is what a breakout looks like.
Over Romanov’s past 10 games, he is averaging 25:06 of ice time while being on the ice for five goals against at five-on-five.
He has made multiple game-changing hits and shot blocks, helped integrate Tony DeAngelo seamlessly and been a key part of the club’s turnaround on the penalty kill.
He is not an offensive player, but has seven points in that span, and the Islanders have lost just one of the past 10 games in which he has played.
“Rommy’s been playing very physical. Probably his best hockey since I’ve been here,” coach Patrick Roy said after Saturday’s win over the Lightning, in which an outstretched ankle from Romanov saved what would have been a goal. “He’s physical and he moves the puck well. Defends well. Really good stick in the D-zone. I’m very happy the way he’s been playing.”
The run Romanov is currently on brings to mind players like Carolina’s Jaccob Slavin, another defense-first lefty — albeit one who plays with less overt physicality than Romanov — who doesn’t score many points but acts as an eraser for his team on the back end.
Romanov has worked on his hands throughout the season and gotten better at moving the puck, but it’s his contributions on the other side of the ice that have made him such a pivotal piece for the Islanders.
With Noah Dobson, Ryan Pulock and now Scott Mayfield all getting injured within the past couple weeks, the Islanders back line has almost literally disintegrated. But Romanov has been a constant, shouldering heavy minutes and barely putting a skate wrong.
The timing is not only key for the Islanders, but should be a boon to Romanov, who is a restricted free agent this summer. With the salary cap set to rise massively, and Romanov outperforming his current $2.5 million salary, he has put himself in line for a large raise.
One the Islanders should be more than happy to pay.
Ilya Sorokin was named the NHL’s first star of the week after winning all three of his starts last week with a .953 save percentage. He has won six straight starts.
The Islanders did not hold practice Monday after returning from Florida.
