Islanders hoping Anders Lee can find groove with Bo Horvat, Mathew Barzal

The placing of Jean-Gabriel Pageau on injured reserve has sent the Islanders’ lines back into the blender and Anders Lee found himself practicing with the first line of Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal on Thursday.

“These two guys are extremely skilled,” Lee said of his new 5-on-5 linemates. “You know how [Barzal] can find guys so it’s just trying to find the space, get open for him, and do some dirty work.”

Lee has been mired in a slow stretch despite playing on the productive second line that has seen Kyle Palmieri and Brock Nelson carry most of the scoring load. He’s scored in just three (four goals) of his last 15 games — well off the usual pace that has resulted in 28 or more goals scored in four of his last five full seasons.

Playing with Horvat and Barzal could potentially get him right out of that funk.

“Yeah, I do [think this can get him in a groove,” Islanders head coach Lane Lambert said. “We think he can provide a little bit more and we’re looking forward to him doing that.”

Since making his Islanders debut on Feb. 6, Horvat has scored three times in five games while Barzal has added two goals and four helpers while being flanked by Josh Bailey. Bailey has been flexed to the third line in Pageau’s absence while Zach Parise was bumped from the third to second line.

Islanders Kraken Bo Horvat — New York Islanders center Bo Horvat (14) celebrates with teammates Sebastian Aho (25) and Mathew Barzal (13) after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Seattle Kraken Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

The early rapport that Barzal and Horvat have built lends the promise of an uptick in scoring chances for Lee. While Barzal has long been the playmaking talent to open up chances, Horvat has made a living as a net-front presence that can deflect pucks and paired it with a goal-scorer’s touch that has lit the lamp 34 times this season.

Lee also does his best work in front of the net, but the big-bodied center can be the forward needed to clean up the rebounds created by Barzal and Horvat — something Bailey’s skillset couldn’t necessarily provide.

“I think there’s going to be a lot of chances for all three of us,” Lee said. “We work together and we work hard and get pucks back… I’m going to bring some low work, some corner work in front of the net. I can win some battles and get them in the pocket.”