Josh Ho-Sang was loaned to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers on Friday morning, while Steve Bernier was recalled later that afternoon. Bernier had 10 goals and four assists in 21 games for Bridgeport, but his job will be to play a simple, predictable, hard-working game for the Islanders.
"To me, we need some more meat and potatoes as far as on those two lines we need some predictability and some mash," head coach Doug Weight said in reference to his third and fourth lines on Friday. "We need some guys to be professional, get some pucks in and to play a simpler type of style. Stability is the word for me. Professionalism and stability. We need to be able to pour guys over the boards and play a harder game."
Weight said Bernier will help the Islanders find some stability and predictability, as well as hard-nosed physical play. Bernier will skate on the fourth line with Jason Chimera and Anthony Beauvillier.
"Bernie is a pro, solid. Positionally reliable. Big body. We need some stability right now from our own zone out," Weight said. "Hopefully Berns will come up and do his job. He's not here to change the world. He's just going to play his game, but we need some stability. He's a great person. Well-respected in the room and it's going to be good for us."
"My game is very simple. I don't try to do anything flashy out there," Bernier said. "North-south. I try to protect the puck down low and spend as much time as possible in the offensive zone. I think it's the best way to play good defensively."
Bernier had 10 goals and four assists in 21 games with the Sound Tigers this season. The veteran winger is in his third season in the Islanders organization, playing 24 games with the Islanders in 2015-16 before spending the entire 2016-17 season with the Sound Tigers.
