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SALT LAKE CITY — Patrick Roy knows that Alexander Romanov is in his element when he sees the defenseman finishing checks and laying the body.
So if it wasn’t already clear by the time Romanov laid out Jonas Rondbjerg with an old-school hip check during the second period of Thursday’s 4-0 win over Vegas that this was his kind of night, well, it was then.
On a night when Romanov scored multiple points for just the second time this season, the conversation ended up being about his offense, but the Islanders’ top pair of Romanov and Noah Dobson also put in a shutdown performance.
Matched up primarily against the Golden Knights’ top line, which includes Jack Eichel and Mark Stone, the two allowed all of one high-danger chance all night.
“Personally, [coach Patrick Roy] told me that I can go, I can join the rush,” Romanov said. “But only if I play strong and solid in the D-zone. So if I clean everything up in the D-zone, I can join the rush.”
It’s rare to see Romanov consistently up ice — and he’ll be the first to tell you that his focus will always be defense first — but when the Isles are playing as defensively sound as they did Thursday, he can be a weapon.
It’s not a coincidence that the other time Romanov had two points this year — the 6-3 win over Toronto on Dec. 21 — was the only other time this season the Islanders played as well as they did Thursday.
Romanov has just nine points this year, all assists, but the Isles have won six of seven games in which he’s contributed.
“He moved the puck very well, made some good decisions with that puck,” Roy said. “He had a strong game, very strong game. Probably one of his better games I’ve seen in a while. I felt like he was very solid offensively and defensively, and it’s good for us.”
Utah Hockey Club will be without leading goal scorer Dylan Guenther on Saturday, with the team announcing the winger is out indefinitely with a lower-body injury.
The Islanders did not hold practice Friday after getting in from Las Vegas.
This is their first trip to Utah.
