Mathew Barzal is becoming more effective for Islanders

Mathew Barzal is going in the right direction.

The Islanders center has been skating north-south more, hockey parlance for a straight line to the crease.

“His game is more predictable and it helps us out,” linemate Jordan Eberle said before the Islanders faced the Sabres on Saturday night at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum. “He’s not swinging around and we know what he’s going to do.”

Barzal played a key role in two of the Islanders’ goals in Thursday night’s 5-4 win at Winnipeg by going hard to the net. First, he went right down the seam to receive Eberle’s feed for the goal that brought the Islanders within 2-1 in the first period. Then, his ability to work down low set up Eberle’s winner at…