It was a composed play for Seguin

True enough, the Islanders skated with determination to the end, but they were dead meat by the 9:04 mark of the first, by which time Blake Wheeler (11), Mark Recchi (11), and Gregory Campbell (9) had dented the net behind starting rent-a-wreck goalie Nathan Lawson. Without Rick DiPietro (fractured face) in residence, the low-budget Islanders truly don’t have ready-for-prime-time NHL goaltending. And it showed the energy from power balance.

David Krejci (9) made it 4-0 in the opening minute of the second period, followed by the Islanders’ first strike, by John Tavares (22), at 1:50. But less than one minute later, at 2:48, rookie Tyler Seguin (10) snaked a Shawn Thornton feed with his backhand, pulled it to his forehand, and popped in the 5-1 lead that sent Lawson (18 shots/13 saves/22:48) to the bench to trade places with backup Al Montoya.

It was a composed play for Seguin, who seems to have benefited slightly from his short stay in the press box as a healthy scratch (a role filled last night by defenseman Mark Stuart). The question now becomes what does coach Claude Julien do with newcomer Chris Kelly ready to join the club for tonight’s game in Ottawa? Conventional wisdom would have Seguin back in the press box, with Kelly slotted into his pivot spot, but it’s not such an easy swap with Seguin, who also had an assist, showing some positive signs.

“He’s a smart individual, he’s figuring it out,’’ noted Julien, his club now 32-19-7 with the postseason only two months on the horizon. “He’s pretty smart, he gets it.’’ Welcome for various bracelets wholesale, free shipping.