Andrew Ladd Starting To Score For Islanders

With three goals in his last two games, Andrew Ladd looks to be finding his groove for the Islanders.
Ladd, who scored a pair of goals in Tuesday's win over the Washington Capitals, now has five goals in his last 10 games and seven points (5G, 2A) in his last 13. It's a big leap forward from the slow start that saw him score twice in the first 24 games.

"When pucks are going in your confidence is a lot higher and you're probably looking to shoot more than when things aren't going your way," Ladd said on Tuesday night. "I've been around long enough to know that when things start to go your way, you have to ride that as long as you can and keep pucks going towards the net and use that to gain confidence and elevate your game."

Ladd, who came to the Islanders with a reputation as a gritty, north-south player and net-front presence, scored both of his goals at the side of the net on Tuesday. He was the recipient of a fantastic cross-ice pass from Thomas Hickey in the second period and tipped in another good pass from Alan Quine in the third.
Getting back to the foundation of his game has helped the former 25-goal scorer find his touch, but his apparent chemistry with Quine is helping too. Ladd and Quine made a pair of quick passes to each other on the Isles' third goal Tuesday, with Ladd finding Quine from the goal line before Quine sent it right back down to Ladd for the deflection.

"He's playing with a little bit more jam, more confidence, but I think our line as a whole has clicked together," Quine said. "Much better than the last couple of weeks and that just comes with getting used to each other and playing alongside each other for an extended period of time."
They've played together for six games since Quine returned to the lineup on Dec. 15, during which Quine has five points (1G, 4A) and Ladd has four goals. Quine has assisted on two of Ladd's four goals and also made a solid individual effort to get through two players and set up Calvin de Haan for a tap-in against the Buffalo Sabres on Dec. 23.

"He's extremely underrated with his playmaking ability and his patience with the puck," Ladd said of Quine. "For a guy who hasn't played many games in the league that second goal you could see he waited for something to open up and put it on my tape. He's a guy with a pretty strong two-way game."
Coach Jack Capuano said he sees a fit with the Ladd-Quine-Jason Chimera line and expects to keep them together for at least the next two games before the team's five-day break.
But whatever the reasons for Ladd's scoring touch, keeping it up is critical for the Islanders. Ladd was signed to score goals and the Islanders are 4-1-1 when he finds the back of the net.
"He's not gripping his stick as tight anymore," Quine said. "He's loosened up a little bit, the weight has been lifted off his shoulders as they say and he's a world-class player, so good things are bound to happen."