Top 20 on the Islanders: #12 Matt Martin

Matt Martin doing his favorite thing, fighting (Photo by Francois Lacasse/NHLI via Getty Images)

          Next up on the top twenty list is a player who is not known for scoring by opponents, but believe me, they know about him.  He is the league leader in hits and loves to fight.  The player I'm talking about, and the number twelve player is left winger, Matt Martin.
          Martin was drafted in the fifth round (148th overall), by the Islanders in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.  He was known as big hitter who can score his fair share of goals.
          Prior to playing for the Islanders, Martin was a player for the Sarnia Sting, of the Ontario Hockey League.  In his three years there, Martin played in 166 games.  He compiled sixty-three goals and forty-six assists, for one-hundred-nine points.  
          He then began his career with the Islander organization, playing for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.  In eighty-three games there, Martin has thirteen goals and twenty-one assists, totaling thirty-four points.  
          Martin played in his first full season with the Islanders last year and has had a good career so far.  He's played in 144 games, compiling twelve goals and eighteen assists, totaling thirty points.
          But where Martin is best is as an enforcer.  A player who will do everything he can to protect his teammates.  Martin has fought many opponents who have given big hits and made them pay.  He is a young kid who is not afraid to back down from any fight.  
          With his grittiness and overall good play, Martin has become a fan favorite on the Island.  And in my opinion, he is going to stay one for the foreseeable future.   

Islanders Fly by Jets

Islanders celebrate after #26 Matt Moulson scores their first goal  (Photo by Travis Golby/NHLI via Getty Images)

          The New York Islanders now sit 6 points out of a playoff spot, as they defeated the Winnipeg Jets 3-1 last night in Winnipeg.  It was their 4th consecutive road win, the first time they've had such a streak since January 2008.  

          Evgeni Nabokov made 37 saves in the win and upped his record to 14-14-0.  Nabokov has now won 8 out of his last 11 games.  

          The first period was evenly played with both teams exchanging chances, but both Nabokov and Winnipeg goalie Ondrej Pavelec, stopped every one of them.  It was not until 17:50 of the first period that the Jets broke through and scored.  Jim Slater took a wicked slap shot that Nabokov was able to stop with his right pad, but it left a big rebound that Chris Thorburn picked up and buried a backhand into the empty net, for his 3rd goal of the season.

          The Islanders bounced back at 3:55 of the second period, when on the power play Winnipeg defenseman Ron Hainsey attempted a hard clear that Matt Moulson knocked out of mid air and then passed it down low to John Tavares who gave it right back for a one-timer shot by Moulson that got by Pavelec's blocker.  It was Moulson's 25th goal of the season, which makes him the first Islander since fan favorite Ziggy Palffy to have 3 straight 25 goal seasons.  It was also Taveres' team leading 55th point of the season.

          The Islanders would quickly grab the lead in the 3rd period when just 1:36 into the frame PA Parenteau took a Milan Jurcina slap shot-pass and tipped it in past Pavelec.  It was Parenteau's 12th goal of the season.  The Islanders would seal it late in the game at 19:07 of the period, as with the goalie pulled Parenteau made a nice play to hold onto the puck behind the net and then make a beautiful pass for Matt Martin to bury a snap shot and make it 3-1.  It was Martin's 7th goal of the season and Parenteau's 39th assist of the season, which gives him 51 points, 4 behind the team leader Taveres.

          The Islanders are now 24-24-8 and have 56 points which is 6 points behind 8th place Toronto's 62.  

          Their next contest is Thursday with a road game in St. Louis to take on the team in 4th place in the Western Conference, the Blues.  Another extremely tough game as the Blues don't lose many games at home as they are 24-3-4 at the Scottrade Center.  The Islanders will look to extend their road win streak and inch closer to that coveted 8th place spot.  The puck drops at 8:00 pm.