Parise Producing Points and Powering Penalty Kill

As much as the league has changed over Zach Parise's 18 years in it, there was something familiar about Tuesday night.
Parise found himself matched up against Patrick Kane, who's been both an international teammate and a division rival during Parise's years in Minnesota. They saw plenty of each other on the ice that night, frequently meeting along the boards and in a handful of one-on-one battles, another chapter in a book with too many to count.

Another thing has been familiar in Parise's 1,152-game career, including his 92 games in an Islanders uniform, the veteran's work ethic.
"[I like] the effort and the battle," Head Coach Lane Lambert said of Parise. "He plays in all situations and you can trust him all situations."

Parise played 20:42 on Tuesday night, his most ice time in a game since joining the Islanders last season. That came on the heels of 19:13 TOI - his third most ice time - against the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday.
They were not easy minutes either, as Parise played 5:04 on the penalty kill against the Blackhawks coming up with a handful of clears as the PK went four-for-five, including a five-minute major in the first period. Parise was also on the ice for 10:43 against Kane, as he, JG Pageau and Kyle Palmieri helped keep the Blackhawks star in check. While Kane had an assist on Chicago's lone power-play goal, it was a Parise stick that prevented a Kane one-timer on an open look late in the game with the Islanders nursing a one-goal lead.
"He has just an incredible amount of will and desire, and that's why he's still playing at 38 years old and still playing a significant role," Lambert said of Parise.
For his effort, which is a word synonymous with Parise, the veteran forward was rewarded with a long-range empty-netter to ice the game. It was his fourth goal in 10 games to start the season and extended his goal streak to three games.
To put it in perspective, Parise didn't score his first goal as an Islander until his 23rd game last season. It took him 39 games to score his fourth goal last year. His offensive production has helped the Islanders to their 6-4-0 start and strong play on their current four-game run.
"The last few games, I think it's gotten better," Parise said of his game. "I feel good, better with the puck, have a lot of energy and feel physically really good. So I'm happy with where it's at right now."

Parise's scoring streak has coincided with Lane Lambert reuniting Parise with JG Pageau and Kyle Palmieri on Oct. 26 against the New York Rangers. Lambert likes that Pageau and Palmieri play straight line games and drive the net, so Parise's tenacious style fits in, as evidenced by his goal against the Colorado Avalanche, where he jammed away at a puck in the crease. That line has not allowed a goal yet this season, outscoring opponents 3-0 in 42 minutes at five-on-five.
"l love playing with those guys," Parise said. "We play simple I think we are predictable for each other. We know it's not fancy, but I think we know that we're going to get the puck in. All three guys work hard, compete to get the puck back and we shoot and we crash, there's no secrets to it, but we're I think the chemistry is really developing well."
The 38-year-old has been a good veteran fit in the Islanders locker room over the past year and change. He plays tennis with (against may be the more appropriate word) Brock Nelson in the summer, sits next to Mathew Barzal in a locker stall at Northwell Health Ice Center and is a childhood idol to some of his teammates. Palmieri still has a photo of meeting Parise when he was a sophomore at Saint Peter's Prep School, Palmieri's reward for being named the team's player of the month.
"I've watched Zach play for a long time now," Palmieri said at the end of last season. "Going back to being a high school hockey player in New Jersey, watching him play for the Devils and following that and to be able to come back and eventually play with him, it's pretty incredible."
Parise won the Bob Nystrom Award in his first season with the Islanders, voted by the fans as the Islander who best exemplifies leadership, hustle and dedication. He's brought that same intensity back this season, and with his recent offensive production, has been able to bring a little more.