That is 0 articles you have read today.
The Aporia is free and carries no advertising, so readers are the only
thing paying for it. If you are getting this much out of it, a small
donation is what keeps it independent.
Daily limit reached
You have read 0 articles today.
That is more than the 15 a day The Aporia gives away,
and well past what it can carry on nothing. Your allowance resets at
midnight.
There is no advertising here and nothing about you is sold, so readers
are the only thing paying for it. If the site is worth this much of
your day, it is worth a few dollars.
Everything else stays open: the
maps, the
directory and
search do
not count against this, and neither does re-opening something you have
already read today.
Matias Maccelli addressed two preseason concerns for the Islanders by scoring both goals during a power-play situation in their second preseason game against the Rangers. The 23-year-old forward's performance indicated potential for a top-six role and improving the team’s struggling power play from last season. Head coach Pete DeBoer praised Maccelli’s contributions but cautioned that it was only one game, suggesting more work ahead to solidify his role on the team.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-23,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In their second preseason game against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden, Matias Maccelli of the Islanders addressed two key uncertainties from training camp with an impressive performance. Skating on the left side of the Islanders’ second line, Maccelli scored two goals, both during power-play opportunities in a 4-3 victory over the Blueshirts. These goals helped revive the Islanders' struggling power play and showed potential for Maccelli to fulfill his role as a top-six forward, possibly replacing Anders Lee. Maccelli had previously played on Toronto Maple Leafs’ top lines but struggled last season with only 14 goals and 39 points, including periods where he was a healthy scratch. His performance against the Rangers suggests he may be poised to establish himself in a more consistent role this upcoming NHL season.
Written for “Islanders Preseason Performance” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Two of the uncertainties that followed the Islanders into training camp involved the version of Matias Maccelli they’d get — whether he could produce in the top six as some type of Anders Lee replacement — and whether they could revive their power play.
uncertain
they → follow → play
And in their second preseason game, against a lineup containing plenty of NHL regulars, both flashed some potential as Maccelli — who also skated on the left side of the Islanders’ second line in their 4-3 win over the Blueshirts at the Garden — collected two of their three goals with the man advantage.
asserted
who → contain → advantage
Maccelli started last season on the Maple Leafs’ top line alongside Auston Matthews, but he was also at one point a healthy scratch and finished with just 14 goals and 39 points.
asserted
he → start → goals
“Obviously, that’s the goal, to play in that role,” Maccelli said of trying to carve out a top six role and run with it.
asserted
Maccelli → ’ → it
“It was a good start for that [Tuesday], and try not to think about it too much and just come to the rink and do my job and play as good as I can.”
asserted
I → try → job
Maccelli’s first goal contained a fortunate bounce, as he flung a puck toward the net that bounced off Rangers defenseman Sean Durzi and went in.
asserted
that → contain → Durzi
But for his second tally, he collected a generous rebound from Spencer Martin off a shot from Matthew Schaefer and deposited the puck into the net.
asserted
he → collect → net
Maccelli acknowledged that it was just the preseason, but Tuesday’s goals still served as an encouraging sign that his one-year flier with the Islanders could end up being worth it.
uncertain
flier → acknowledge → Islanders
“You need a certain amount of goals in this league in order to get in the playoffs, regardless of how well you defend,” Islanders head coach Pete DeBoer said.
asserted
DeBoer → need → playoffs
“You still have to put the puck in the net at a certain level in order to give yourself a chance to get in the playoffs.
asserted
You → have → playoffs
So I think our conversations were around ‘how do we add some goals to the lineup,’ and that included adding guys that could help our power play — and I think he checked both those boxes.
uncertain
he → think → boxes
“He did what he’s supposed to do [Tuesday] in order to make a statement about where he fits on this team.
asserted
he → do → team
And it could directly coincide with the emergence of a power-play unit that finished with the third-worst success rate in the NHL (16.5 percent) last season.
uncertain
that → coincide → NHL
DeBoer said the unit “felt dangerous” during their power-play chances — with Schaefer recording the other goal — but said he wanted to “temper our enthusiasm.”
asserted
he → say → enthusiasm
“It’s one game,” DeBoer said.
asserted
DeBoer → ’ → ?
“We’re working on some things.
asserted
We → work → things
If we go 0-for-4 tomorrow, the sky’s not falling, either.”
asserted
sky → go → 0
DeBoer said postgame — when asked about Schaefer — that the second-year superstar will be “a future captain of this team.”
asserted
superstar → say → team
“He’s one of those players at the end of my coaching career, I’m gonna sit on a deck somewhere and think about that I got a front-row seat to watch that guy play hockey, which is pretty special,” DeBoer said.
asserted
DeBoer → ’ → hockey
Defenseman Ethan Bear and goaltender Henrik Tikkanen were waived Tuesday for the purpose of assignment to AHL Hamilton.
asserted
Bear → waive → Hamilton
Cameron Berg, Cam Thiesing, Jesse Pulkkinen, Hunter Drew, Ryan Healey, Luke Rowe, Ryan Fanti, Brandon Scanlon, Jesse Nurmi, Joey Larson, Gleb Veremyev and Calle Odelius were all assigned to the Hammers, according to the team.
uncertain
Berg → assign → team
… Kyle MacLean scored the first Islanders goal.
asserted
MacLean → score → goal
The Aporia
