Mar 1, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock (6) attempts a pass defended by Florida Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling (42) during the first period at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images
ELMONT, NY — The return of Ryan Pulock from a brief lower-body injury absence came at the right time for the Islanders, offering both a physical and emotional lift in their 2-1 win over the Dallas Stars on Thursday night at UBS Arena.
Pulock’s presence on the blue line immediately reestablishes a sense of structure for a team that needed a jolt of consistency following Tuesday’s 4-3 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, especially with Tony DeAngelo getting shelved for one to two weeks because of a lower-body injury of his own.
“Pulock is a big part of this team, and he’s a leader on this team,” head coach Patrick Roy said. “He really plays well with [Matthew] Schaefer and helps him a lot, too. It’s nice having him back.”
The Islanders have emphasized the importance of turning the page quickly, avoiding the trap of dwelling on missed opportunities.
“I stay in the present moment, after that, you put it behind,” Roy said. “There’s no need to spend so much time on the loss. I mean, you’ve got to regroup. You’ve got to push it aside. You’ve got to be ready for the next game.”
That urgency is amplified by where they sit. They beat the second-best team in the league to jump back into the final Eastern Conference Wild Card spot, looking like an entirely different unit from the one that went to sleep against the lowly Blackhawks.
“I don’t know if there’s some benefit out of this,” Roy added. “I think you benefit from refocusing and taking the positive side of what you did in that game.”
One of those positives came on special teams, particularly the penalty kill. Despite pressure, the Islanders showed improved discipline and structure in key moments.
“We did a good job clearing pucks,” Roy said. “They had a few chances on the first, but I thought the second one, we did a really nice job on the entry. We had really good sticks, good body position and that was a key moment in the game. I thought our guys did a really nice job.”
For more on Ryan Pulock and the Islanders, visit AMNY.com
