Eyes On Isles

Islanders Kieffer Bellows scores first NHL goal (Highlight)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 06: Kieffer Bellows #20 of the New York Islanders scores his first NHL goal against Jonathan Quick #32 of the Los Angeles Kings at 10:22 of the second period at the Barclays Center on February 06, 2020 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 06: Kieffer Bellows #20 of the New York Islanders scores his first NHL goal against Jonathan Quick #32 of the Los Angeles Kings at 10:22 of the second period at the Barclays Center on February 06, 2020 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

It didn’t take long for Kieffer Bellows to score. In only his second NHL career game, Bellows has scored his first career NHL goal.

How long have New York Islanders fans been calling for Kieffer Bellows to be called up from the AHL? Months? The Isles have long needed goal-scoring and for months now Bellows has been doing just that at the AHL level.

Between November 27 and December 28, Kieffer Bellows, the Islanders 19th overall pick in 2016, scored an incredible 12 goals in 13 games for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. But in the AHL he remained.

Finally, on February 3, the Isles brought up their goal-scoring prospect to see what he could do at the NHL level. It didn’t take long for him to find the back of the net.

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Never Forget the First

In only his second NHL game, Bellows found himself in some open ice on

Jonathan Quick

‘s blocker side. Thanks to a heads-up play from

Anthony Beauvillier

to spot the rookie winger in a perfect position hit Bellows with a good pass, and Bellows didn’t pass up on the opportunity to put in the empty net.

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He was brought in to give the Islanders some offense and hopefully re-ignite the problematic third line. Within 16:25 of ice-time Bellows was able to do that.

It started back in his first game in the NHL.

On his first shift in his first game, he found himself alone in the slot and got a good shot off on Ben Bishop. Had it been anyone else in net, Bellows would have likely scored right there and then on his first shot, on his first shift, in his first game.

It took a while for Bellows to get here. Not as long as others mind you (looking at you Michael Dal Colle). Last season and even the first 19 games this season wasn’t great for Bellows. But as of late November, something just clicked for the Isles first-round pick in 2016.

In his second game, he put the puck in the net. It’s something he’ll never forget.

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And now he’s in the NHL and making a strong case to not send him back down to the AHL any time soon.

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