Translatable Skill Analysis: Bo Horvat & Mathew Barzal

In yesterday's stadium series game in which the New York Islanders looked like they were about to hold on to a 5-3 win late in the game, the Rangers quickly came back and managed to win the game 6-5 in overtime. Thanks to the relentless pursuit of the Rangers and aggressive tactical goalie pulling from Peter Laviolette, the Rangers fought back to win.

However, very early on in the game there were multiple sequences that really stood out in terms of translatable details within Bo Horvat's footwork and skating usage on a 4v4, and Mathew Barzal's skating and fluid hockey sense. These sequences happened within narrow seconds of each other early in the first period, which forced the Rangers to take an early timeout early on in the game.

NYR/NYI Stadium Series Highlights

First we will look at 2:10 in the video here, with Bo Horvat as the first example. The sequence starts with Barzal swings under Dobson for breakout speed and Horvat swings away up the boards for a controlled exit. Horvat generates positive speed differential, forcing NYR's K'Andre Miller to try and match that speed and backpedal to catch up. It doesn't work here because of two things:

1. Once Horvat gets positive speed differential, it takes much longer for Miller to catch up
2. Once Miller starts moving his feet, and by the time he turns them, Horvat has already beaten him

There were multiple translatable details within Horvat's skating and puck-handling that also made him stand out on this sequence as well:

1. The linear crossover usage through neutral ice, as well as the depth and wide base that allows him to gain momentum
2. How he catches the puck mid-stride without losing speed
3. Pushes the puck in front of him to allow him to not lose acceleration speed
4. Weight transfers on the shot quickly, shots using only one leg

Rarely do we see NHL defenders make a late read like K'Andre Miller did here, but using his own leverage, multiple details on this sequence allowed Horvat to propel past Miller here. If we Miller angle the play off and get moving to shut Horvat down on a rush opportunity here, he might've been able to have more success. But the instincts from Horvat allowed him to create open ice with ease, as he doesn't panic nor make a mistake inside the sequence here. Great all-around job from him, and it's easy to see why he's had sustained success in his first full season with the Islanders this year. Horvat is projected to score over 70 points this season, which would mark a career high for him if he continues to maintain consistency down the stretch.

Lastly, we look at 2:34 in the video here, which is the sequence we see from Mat Barzal at a 5v4 power play situation. Obviously the Islanders have more leverage in this sequence, given the Horvat sequence happened at the tail end of a 4v4. NYR starts their 1-1-2 PK neutral zone forecheck slightly more aggressively with F1 inside the zone and F2 lining up between the dots. Noah Dobson tries a breakout himself, skates into an angling Barclay Goodrow as F1, and bumps the puck back to Mat Barzal.

Barzal swung all the way around the net here to time his route and gain speed, and then as he picks up the puck, he gains speed through the dot lane. We see that a lot of Barzal's weight is propelling him forward, since he is playing comfortably agile on his toes, so that sets the foundation for his speed here. It looked as if Barzal would change from 0-60 on the breakout and look to accelerate, but he instead goes from 0-40, and then mid-lane drives himself with purpose. He knows that with F1 Goodrow collapsing near the dots, and the far side F2 on the dots, he can manipulate and take advantage of open ice up the middle. Barzal does so using his hockey sense, and Barzal keeps his top elbow free for range to his puck-handling.

But the other thing he does on entry was more noticeable, and allowed him to hook pass around the defender with ease. On entry, Barzal widens his stance by using a half stride to separate from F2, he widens both his feet, chokes his bottom hand slightly further down his stick, and kicks the puck out. He doesn't stop his momentum nor his route here, and he does a terrific job proactively mid-lane driving to get between checks and to the net. Off the kick out, the pass is immediately fed back to him while mid-lane driving, in which Barzal is able to score here.

The entry play was all translatable from Barzal. The initial hockey sense he had to read the forecheck pressure initially through neutral ice was terrific, but his dynamic posture and ability to adapt under pressure as a puck-handler are two very key translatable components. We see that he widens his stance and his posture, without losing speed, in order to change puck positioning and protect that puck in that sequence. Then, we see him use immediate proactive hockey sense to stay between multiple checks as a pass option, he keeps his stick flat on the ice, and tips the puck top shelf after getting inside leverage on Ryan Lindgren.

Translatable details within the sequence summarized:

1. Initial Hockey Sense to read F1/F2 in neutral ice
2. Doesn't lose cruising speed as a puck-handler (Barzal also brings ability to accelerate and decelerate when necessary, also emphasized in the game, and is translatable)
3. Dynamic posture, wide stance, adaptability as puck-handler for puck protection
4. Widens stance without losing speed
5. Proactive hockey sense after his own kick out on entry, mid-lane drives immediately
6. Gains inside body position and stays between checks on mid-lane drive
7. Stick flat on ice, inside body position helps him tip the puck to score

Two marquee players who are very different stylistically, but both are obviously very key players to the Islanders as centermen.

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