ISLANDERS MINI CAMP SCRIMMAGE DAY 3

ISLANDERS MINI CAMP SCRIMMAGE DAY 3

By: Matthew Blittner

Like most teams in the NHL, the Islanders hold a week-long prospect camp for a vast majority of their top minor leaguers.

Tonight just so happened to be the first scrimmage of their camp and it took place before a sold out crowd at the Northwell Health Ice Center out on the island.

Among the players in attendance that already have big-league experience were: Joshua Ho-Sang, Anthony Beauvillier, and Mathew Barzal.

For these three players, it's not so much about fighting for a roster spot, as much as it is about getting themselves ready for training camp and solidifying their roles for the upcoming season.

There was also an impressive number of former first-round picks in participation. Five to be exact. Mathew Barzal (2015), Kieffer Bellows (2016), Anthony Beauvillier (2015), Joshua Ho-Sang (2014), and Michael Dal Colle (2014).

There's also a funny quirk regarding one player. Last season, Sebastian Aho debuted for the Hurricanes, and in the draft last week, the Islanders drafted a player with the same name in the fifth-round. Can't wait for the two Ahos to face off at the NHL level.

For the purposes of this scrimmage, the prospects were divided into three teams, Blue and White, Blue, and White, and played four-aside for three 20 minute periods in a round robin affair.

In the opening minutes, Scott Eansor, a forward out of Seattle in the WHL, was sprung for a 2-on-1 odd man rush but was stopped by the neck of the blocker by goalie Eamon McAdam.

Going back the other way, Joshua Ho-Sang lead the rush and created space with some deft passing. After getting the puck back from linemate John Stevens, Ho-Sang rifled a shot from the top of the left circle at 2:59 for the opening marker and a 1-0 lead for the Blue team. 

Travis St. Denis then attempted to add to the Blue team's lead as he had a partial breakaway but was stopped by goalie Linus Soderstrom.

The White team then attempted to take back control when defenseman Robin Salo picked off an errant pass from Ho-Sang and took it up the ice for a breakaway but was stoned once more by Eamon McAdam.

The momentum for White didn't last long though as Blue came right back and scored to make it 2-0, curtesy of a deft passing play that saw Micah Miller feed Dalton Hunter for the goal.

Goalie McAdam was making a name for himself early on as he made a number of acrobatic saves to keep the opposition scoreless through the first half of period one. Don't sleep on him, it's only been 10 minutes and he already has me convinced that he could be a suitable backup in Brooklyn for Thomas Griess.

Ryan Hitchcock then cleaned up a loose puck to give Blue a 3-0 lead just over 12 minutes into the first period. And of course, Mister-Big-Guy-On-Campus, Joshua Ho-Sang tallied the assist for his second point of the frame.

Then with 18:34 gone by in the opening frame, Brett MeCrones picked the pocket of an unsuspecting player who was straddling the blue line and took it up the ice for a breakaway and ended McAdam's shutout bid to make it 3-1.

The White team then pulled their goalie and Micah Miller made them pay with an empty net goal to restore the three-goal lead.

But the two teams weren't done yet as the White team came right back and scored to make it 4-2 in the waning seconds of the frame, curtesy of Kieffer Bellows.

The period ended with a Blue team victory by the score of 4-2.

For the second period, Blue took on the Blue and White team. 

Just 36 seconds into the middle frame Joshua Ho-Sang was sprung for a breakaway by Kyle Burroughs for the early 1-0 lead and his third point of the night.

Blue then made it 2-0 at the 4:05 mark thanks to a stuff-in by Jeff Kubiak.

Then Zach Jordan joined in on the fun as he ripped the puck past goalie Tanner Jaillet for the 3-0 lead at 4:52 of the second period.

Goalie Mareks Mitens was hardly tested in the first half of period two as Blue controlled the pace of play.

Zach Jordan was then stoned on a breakaway by the Blue and White team's goalie Tanner Jaillet as the period hit the halfway point.

Ryan Hitchcock then added to his night by getting his own rebound and putting it in the back of the net for the 4-0 Blue lead at 12:58 of the second. Joshua Ho-Sang got the secondary assist giving him four points on the night with a period and half to go. For Hitchcock, it's his second goal of the night.

Blue and White then came back to get themselves on the board with a goal by Parker Wotherspoon, making it 4-1.

The period then came to a merciful end for Blue and White as the Blue team took their second straight, this time by the score of 4-1.

Then, the third and final period started. It was a matchup between the White team and the Blue and White team.

Scott Eansor finally opened the third period scoring when, with just over eight minutes gone by, he deked and dazzled with some superb stick-handling to put the White team up 1-0.

Carter Verhaeghe then attempted to even the score on a slow motion breakaway, but unfortunately hit the post as he had netminder Linus Soderstrom dead to rights.

At 17:24 White broke through for their second goal, thanks to a neat shot by Scott Eansor, his second of the game, that went over the shoulder of goalie Steve Mudinger for the 2-0 lead.

Ben Meyers had a penalty shot for the Blue and White team, but was stopped by Soderstrom. But seconds later, they finally got on the board and cut White's lead to 2-1 curtesy of Mike Marnell.

For the fans' enjoyment a shootout contest followed after White defeated the Blue and White team 2-1.

Three stars of the night:

1. Joshua Ho-Sang (4 points)

2. Ryan Hitchcock (2G)

3. Scott Eansor (2G)

Future looks good Islanders.