Brock Nelson nears next goal-scoring goal
Brock Nelson of the New York Islanders celebrates his second goal of the third period against the Dallas Stars at UBS Arena on March 19, 2022. Credit: Jim McIsaac
BOSTON — Brock Nelson needs one goal to reach 30 in a season for the first time.
Given Nelson’s recent offensive production, that very well could happen on Saturday afternoon when the streaking Islanders face the Bruins at TD Garden.
“It’d be cool,” Nelson said after scoring twice in Thursday night’s 5-2 win over the Red Wings at UBS Arena. “You try to set goals every year, depending upon the season. It’s been weird the last couple of seasons, shortened seasons. But I think they’re a pretty good benchmark. You start at 10, 20 and work your way. Yeah, that would be special, and hopefully I’ll get that and keep going and see what happens.”
Nelson, in his ninth NHL season and in the third season of a six-year, $36 million deal, has 29 goals and 15 assists in 53 games. His previous career high was 26 goals, which he reached in 2015-16 and 2019-20. He also had a career-high 54 points in 68 games in 2019-20, truncated at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nelson has 10 goals and six assists in his last 12 games, and Saturday will mark his 10th game centering Anders Lee and Anthony Beauvillier as the Islanders’ top trio. Lee had a season-high three assists against the Red Wings and has 10 goals and six assists in his last 10 games.
“With Brock, he’s just getting more confident and more mature year in and year out,” coach Barry Trotz said. “My first impression of Brock when I wasn’t coaching this hockey team, I thought he was more of a passer than a shooter. But then you find out he’s probably more of a shooter than a passer. It doesn’t surprise me that he’s putting up pretty good numbers and at a high rate, too.”
The Islanders (28-25-9) have won two straight and are on a 7-1-1 run. They can move four games over NHL .500 for the first time this season and already have beaten the Bruins twice at UBS Arena.
Overcoming a double-digit deficit in the points standings to reach the playoffs for a fourth straight season is still a decided long shot, but Nelson said that doesn’t lessen the team’s expectations.
“You put pressure on yourself to go out there and win every night,” Nelson said. “I’m sure a lot of people have counted us out now at this point. But just having fun leads to being able to play freely. You’re not thinking. Right now, it’s leading to wins.”
The Islanders, starting a weekend back-to-back as they face the Lightning on Sunday afternoon at UBS Arena, will play their final 20 games in 35 days. They did not practice on Friday, and given the condensed schedule, Trotz said there might be only one more practice.
Nelson acknowledged that part of the fun is having an all-game, no-practice routine.
“I think so,” he said. “We’re all competitors, and the most important time, as an athlete, is game time. You can put all of your focus into that.”
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
