Pulock Playing At New Level

Seeing the Chicago Blackhawks across the ice on Saturday should conjure up some good memories for Ryan Pulock.
The Islanders' defenseman had a five-point night (1G, 4A) against the Blackhawks back on Jan. 20 in the Windy City, becoming the first Isles rookie to accomplish the feat. It was easily his best night in the NHL.
"The Chicago game was kind of lucky in a sense. I just threw pucks on net and everything seemed to find it's way in," Pulock said. "When you're able to do that, you do gain that trust and confidence in yourself and you just try to build off that every single game."

Pulock talks a lot about confidence and how it impacts his game. It has gone up and down in the past and while he carries it quietly, he's felt his confidence grow as the season has worn on. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the the five-point night against Chicago served as a takeoff pad to launch him into the second half of the season.
"He was dominant in that game. I think he's carried on that consistent play as of late," Head Coach Doug Weight said.
Pulock had nine points in the 33 games before playing Chicago and 20 points in 27 games since puck drop at United Center. He's now tied with Tampa's Mikhail Sergachev for the most goals among rookie defensemen and is fourth in points.

The Isles 2013 first-round pick is currently riding a career-long five-game point streak, with eight points (3G, 5A) over that span. He's finding ways to get his booming shot off quicker on the power play - hammering home a pair of thundering one-timers Thursday against Tampa - and Weight said he likes how his all-around game has improved. The coach even said Pulock was the best player on the ice against the Lightning and the defenseman was out on the ice in the final minute as the Isles looked to tie it up.
"Taking these steps offensively I think he feels the confidence throughout the whole ice surface," Weight said. "What we like is just the skating and the assertiveness defensively. Really kind of a guy that we're pointing to match up against guys. I'm sure he'll probably see [Patrick Kane] tonight a little bit and he's earned that."
Five-point nights are extraordinarily rare for forwards, let alone defensemen, so a repeat performance against the Blackhawks would be up there with Leicester City winning the Premier League as far as beating the odds. But for Pulock, doing it once helped unlock the confidence that he's currently playing and a confident Pulock bodes well for the young defenseman's future and the Islanders.