Pulock Raising Play in the Postseason

Ryan Pulock didn't hesitate to unleash an intense physical style of play early in Round One against the Carolina Hurricanes.
"The first game in that first shift, he had a big hit," Noah Dobson said of Pulock's hit on Jack Drury in Game One. "He can be hard on guys and we've seen that. He's a big guy, really strong."

Pulock maintained that ultra-physical style of play ever since. The 28-year-old defenseman established a career-high nine hits in Game One and leads the team with 26 hits in the series. His defensive attributes are also on full display in the most important games of the year, as Pulock sports a team-best 13 blocked shots in the postseason over the span of five games. He earned praise from Head Coach Lane Lambert for his solid performance throughout the series.
"He's very invested," Lambert said of Pulock. "Some of the best hockey I've seen him play. He's doing things that he has to do [with] a lot of commitment."

Pulock's heightened physical style of play translated to his teammates. The Islanders established a heavy-hitting element in their heated series against the Hurricanes, outhitting them in four of five matchups.
"Everybody else has been following suit," Lambert said of Pulock's influence.
The Islanders rank fourth in the NHL with 206 hits in the postseason, edging the Hurricanes, who recorded 164 and rank 10th among the 16 teams. Pulock has a career average of 2.9 hits per game in the playoffs, compared to 1.6 hits in regular season play.
"Maybe during the year, you don't see those hits from him as much, but he's added that intensity [in the playoffs]," Dobson said. "He's a big piece of our team."
Aside from physicality, Pulock has been making a difference on the scoresheet, tied for third on the team with three points (1G, 2A) in five games. With the opening goal of the 2023 postseason, Pulock became fifth in career playoff goals among defenseman in franchise history with eight, while he also leads Islanders defensemen with 11 shots over the span of five games.

"He's been incredible," Adam Pelech said of Pulock. "He's really taken his game to another level. He's a big reason why we won [on Friday] and why we can have success going forward."
Pulock skated 23:37 on average through five games, tied for the team high with Pelech.
"You can see he's brought his level up a little bit here," Anders Lee said. "His physicality is coming through and his playmaking, so just some really strong games from [Pulock] and our d-core. We rely on those guys heavily. When they're playing that way, it makes a huge difference."
Pulock has a track record of elevating his game in the postseason. His 10 points (2G, 8A) and 45 shots through 22 games in the 2020 playoffs led all Isles defensemen. Pulock led the team with three game-winning goals in the 2021 playoffs and 38 blocked shots. Perhaps one blocked shot in particular stands out from the rest, when he made a buzzer-beater save against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game Four of the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals.

"There's a lot that could be said about his ability in these moments to keep his keep his head and his game," Lee said. "He can really shine and not let things get to him."
The Islanders have their backs against the walls, facing elimination for the second consecutive game as they trail 3-2 in the best-of-seven series against the Hurricanes. While it takes a team effort to keep their season alive, the Islanders need Pulock's efforts to stave off elimination.
"Some of the best hockey I've seen him play," Pelech said. "We need him to keep doing that because he's a huge part of our team."