Pageau Makes Impact in Isles Debut

That's one way to win over the hearts of Long Island.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who was traded to the Isles on Monday afternoon and proceeded to sign a six-year contract extension, scored in his debut.
But it was his selfless act to defend new teammate Michael Dal Colle in the third period that showcased his immediate loyalty to the Blue and Orange during the Isles 4-3 overtime loss to the New York Rangers on Tuesday night. In turn, he further solidified the respect and trust from his teammates and coaches.

"The way that the guys welcomed me here, if it had been me that had gotten hit I'm sure someone would have stepped up for me," Pageau said of his reaction to the hit. "I thought it was a high hit. That's why I did it. I care about the guys here already. I'm lucky to be a part of a group like this."

Pageau wasted no time in dropping the gloves after Jacob Trouba laid an open-ice hit on Dal Colle, who did not return. Pageau, who stands 5-foot-10, 180-pounds, showed no hesitation as he shared a few exchanges and wrestled the Rangers' 6-foot-3, 209-pound defenseman down to the ice.
Pageau was ejected from the game after receiving a two-minute penalty for instigating, a five-minute penalty for fighting and a 10-minute game misconduct. He left the ice to cheers from the Coliseum crowd and endeared himself to new his new team.
"He came] as advertised," Head Coach Barry Trotz said. "Here's a player who; we wanted him, we got him for six years, he's impactful and he changes our team in so many ways. You saw how he stepped up...He fits right in our hockey team. You saw the character. He's going to be impactful for us. I'm glad he's on our side."
**[READ: PAGEAU, ISLANDERS EXCITED BY FIT**
His first game as an Islander spared no shortage of excitement as the Isles rallied to send the game into overtime with 18 seconds remaining. Pageau fit into the Isles defensive structure with ease as he logged 12:07, including 1:28 on the power play, with two shots, three hits and winning 10-of-14 face-offs. The 27-year-old Ottawa native put the Isles on the board during the final three-minutes of the second period and hit the 25-goal mark for the first time.
The center snatched a rebound off the glass from Ryan Pulock's initial point shot and deposited it on the doorstep past Rangers netminder Alexandar Georgiev. The goal warranted "Pageau" chants from the faithful and exuberant Isles stands.

"It's a warm welcome and I really appreciate it," Pageau said. "The organization, the team, all the players here made me feel comfortable since day one, really made me feel like I was part of the family. Just to add to that, the fans did the same thing tonight. I feel very lucky to be here."
The result wasn't as favorable as the Isles had hoped, but they showed resolve to earn a much-needed point, while Pageau fully bought in to his new home as a member of the New York Islanders.
"He made a great first impression on all of us," Bailey said. "We already knew what he could bring to the table, but I think our fans for sure got a glimpse of it tonight."