On today’s episode of Daily Faceoff Live, Frank Seravalli and Tyler Yaremchuk discuss Bo Horvat’s first games with the New York Islanders, how the relationship is already off to a good start and why Lou Lamoriello pulled the trigger on the agreement.
Tyler Yaremchuk: The big move last week was Bo Horvat to the Islanders that we’ve talked about a lot. But, last night was Horvat’s home debut for the Islanders last night and of course he found the back of the net as the Islanders continued at a brisk pace and shut out the Seattle Kraken 4-0. Not only did Horvat score, but he also received a standing ovation from the crowd when he scored his first goal which was set up by Matt Barzal. What an interesting duo that could end up being for the Islanders, we’ve heard so much over the years about finding someone qualified to play with Barzal and it looks like Lamoriello and the Islanders have finally found that. Chants Horvat, Horvat, Horvat, a pretty cool scene from Frank as the fans welcome their new guy.
Frank Seravalli: Yeah I loved seeing something like being welcomed with open arms, you know the hair on the back of your neck stands on end when you hear that crowd singing. It’s pretty electric and aside from the fit, it wasn’t just about learning skills for Matt Barzal, it was about the finish. That’s what Horvat has been this season, in a big way too. Scored his 32nd of the season last night and he’s knocking on the door quickly from 40. It’s been magical from that perspective so plugging that player in and developing all sorts of chemistry that not only helps on even strength but also on the power play that really struggled. Even more important than the goals, the reason they came out and pulled the trigger for Horvat was for the wins. So they are now 2-0 since Horvat joined the team in the second half of the NHL All-Star break. That’s a huge indicator of what’s potentially about to happen, if he can give this team a boost and they can get in, that’s what their bet was on. Sorokin can close the door and you say « hey, we have the goalie who can get us running here », so you try to charge as much as you can. You’ve seen Lamoriello essentially triple on his roster after doubling this summer. It’s rare to see this, especially for a team that has been so mediocre, but the results are what matter more than the goals.
You can watch the full episode here…
