Big-Time Beauvillier

C'est Beau.

It was a sight that couldn't be missed; the goal light illuminated twice in the first period with rotating flashes of a scarlet beam projected onto the exhilarated celebration from Anthony Beauvillier.

Twice in the span of just under four minutes, Beauvillier lit the lamp to give the Islanders a two-goal lead in their eventual 5-1 Game 4 victory over the Florida Panthers - and recorded his first multi-point postseason game. The win not only closed out the Isles' qualifying series, but punched their ticket to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

According to linemate Brock Nelson, the Isles winger has been "shining" for the Isles. Throughout the best-of-five series against Florida, Beauvillier was a catalyst to the Isles offense, compiling a team-high five points (3G, 2A). And he's been having fun in the process.

"Right now, Beau is enjoying playing good hockey and he's getting rewarded for it with production," Head Coach Barry Trotz said. "He's skating on the puck, he's working. He's focused on his job in that moment. That's the maturity of a good, young player in Beau. Earlier, a year or two back if he wasn't having any production he'd worry too much about that rather than just playing well. [Right now] he's just worried about going out and playing [his] best."

Even before the Isles Stanley Cup Qualifier against Florida, Beauvillier made his impact roaringly evident. In the Isles' 2-1 exhibition win against their crosstown rivals, the New York Rangers, the 23-year-old winger has been an x-factor, as he opened up scoring on a two-on-one rush.

In the time since, that momentum hasn't ceased, but rather, only amplified with each game. Using his zippy strides from a standstill, Beauvillier is able to generate offense from his nagging forecheck and also spring from zone-to-zone to join plays.

"Beau's biggest strength is that he can get around the ice pretty quick," Trotz said. "You put him in a footrace with anybody in the league and he'll be right with that person and putting pressure on them. He has a level of trust in his ability and a level of trust in his own confidence to battle for pucks and create turnovers. He's always had the skill, he's always had the ability - it's just the confidence in terms of getting in there, banging around and feeling confident that he can do it over a long period of time."

Video: Islanders close series with 5-1 victory, Beauvillier Video: Islanders close series with 5-1 victory in the Isles' 2-1 victory. Video: Islanders close series with 5-1 victory, Video: Islanders close series with 5-1 victory caromed off Jordan Eberle's leg for the Isles' insurance marker in their 4-2 win. Beavuillier nearly scored in that game, but struck iron on a backhanded shot. During Video: Islanders close series with 5-1 victory, his tremendous effort on the forecheck regained possession for the Isles as he sent a drop-pass to Jean-Gabriel Pageau for the Video: Islanders close series with 5-1 victory

Beauvillier's zing was on display Video: Islanders close series with 5-1 victory. The left-shot recorded his first multi-point playoff game and generated four of his five shots on net in the first period, alone.

"Anthony is all over his game even more so than in the regular season and the last couple of years," Nelson said of his linemate. "He's developed pretty quickly. You're seeing how he can affect a game with his speed; shift-in, shift-out, he's always on it. He works extremely hard. He plays a quick game. He's able to make quick plays with the puck with lots of skill. He's been a catalyst and a guy you can feed off for energy."

Beauvillier scored his first goal just over midway through the first period as he slipped a deceptive backhander that caught Florida's goalie, Sergei Bobrovsky, off-guard. His second goal and third of the series, off a quick transition play. Ryan Pulock sprung Mathew Barzal for a two-on-one rush. Barzal dished his saucer pass to Beauvillier, who buried the one-timer.

"I was just trying to get it on net and got a good bounce there," Beauvillier said of his first goal. "I got fortunate on that goal. It was a huge for us to get a lead. We played the right way today. It's getting us into the playoffs."

The Isles still await to find out who their opponent will be in the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Hopefully, they can carry the momentum from their qualifying series into the next round, and that Beauvillier can continue to radiate his contagious enthusiasm to keep the fun going.