ELMONT, NY — The New York Islanders had four days to rest, reset, and prepare for one of the NHL’s best teams.
Unfortunately, the result wasn’t what they wanted.
Despite battling back from an early 2-0 deficit against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Islanders couldn’t get to overtime, falling short of securing at least a point in a game where they had plenty of chances.
There were certainly positives to take away, especially against an opponent of Carolina’s caliber. But some familiar issues continue to cost the Islanders valuable points.
In many ways, Thursday’s loss was a microcosm of what we’ve seen from the Islanders through their first 15 games.
From the goaltending decision and power-play struggles to Matthew Schaefer’s usage and the team’s ongoing injury situation, there’s plenty to discuss after the club’s 15th game of the season, with a 7-6-2 record.
Here’s this week’s edition of Free Friday.
Lack of finishing at 5-on-5 remains a concern: The Islanders generated quality opportunities but couldn’t capitalize. Horvat noted they had “three, four breakaways,” adding, “The chances are there for sure.”
Semyon Varlamov needs to be sharper early: He allowed a goal on Carolina’s first shot and two on its first three. He’s now allowed a goal on the first shot he’s faced in four of his five starts, including Ottawa’s disallowed goal. The Islanders have lost all four of those games (0-3-1). Schenn credited him for making big saves and giving the team a chance to come back. DeBoer also praised his battle level and noted how difficult returning from a four-day break can be for goaltenders, saying, “I thought he battled his ass out for us tonight.” He kept them in it, but having to climb out of holes seemingly every Varlamov start isn’t ideal for a team that struggles to score.
That brings us to the question of why Varlamov started against the reigning Stanley Cup champions after four days off: I know the Islanders want to manage Ilya Sorokin’s workload, but there’s no question he gives this team the better chance to win, despite his career struggles against Carolina.
The power play needs to win you games or, at the very least, steal you points: DeBoer acknowledged, “I think tonight that probably changes the game if we find a way to stick one in.” Schenn pointed to the need for quicker puck movement and better execution under pressure. After going 0-for-4 on the power play against Carolina, their man advantage is now operating at 14.6%, which ranks 29th in the NHL. That’s seven power-play goals on 48 tries. It’s just not good enough, and it’s not just about a lack of finishers.
While Schaefer can’t do it all, I think he should, no question, be quarterbacking the power play for the full two minutes, regardless of which unit is on the ice: We saw him play the full power play in the second period, which led to the second unit generating chances. DeBoer said the plan isn’t for him to play the full two minutes unless the unit gets stuck on the ice. But given Schaefer’s impact, there’s a legitimate argument for changing that approach, especially with Tony DeAngelo struggling in that role.
We’re starting to see Schaefer trying to do too much out there at 5-on-5: His confidence and creativity are strengths, but at times he gets caught too far up the ice, and others don’t react quickly enough to cover for him, leading to transition opportunities and goals against. I’m sure he feels like he has to do it all at times, which is somewhat true. But I think more of the responsibility falls on the team around him. That said, he needs to simplify his game a bit and pick his spots a tad better than he has lately.
The Islanders are dominating in the faceoff circle: While what truly matters is what you do after winning a draw, the Islanders won 66% of their faceoffs against Carolina, going 40-for-61, with 40 wins marking a new season high. Jean-Gabriel Pageau led the way, winning 15 of his 17 draws. On the season, the Islanders rank second in the NHL at 55.5%.
The penalty kill has been elite: After holding Carolina’s power play scoreless on two opportunities, Bob Boughner’s shorthanded units have now killed off 27 of their last 30 penalties, based on my count. You have to give credit to Logan Stanley and Scott Mayfield, especially the latter since being reinserted into the lineup. The Islanders’ penalty kill ranks fifth in the NHL at 86.5%, having killed off 45 of 52 opportunities.
Being resilient is important, but constantly climbing out of holes isn’t sustainable: Schenn praised the team’s ability to battle back but emphasized, “Can’t be giving away points.” Horvat similarly stressed the importance of closing out games and getting them to overtime. Over an 84-game season, repeatedly chasing games will take a toll, and there’s no question we’ve seen the effects of that on this team, specifically during playoff stretch runs.
The Islanders have done what they can to tread water with all their injuries, but they desperately need Mathew Barzal back: Of course, he controls that timeline, with the next step being him taking part in battle drills after skating the last two days in a red, non-contact jersey. Getting Matias Maccelli (lower body) back is also important, as he was one of the few Islanders consistently putting the puck in the back of the net before his injury. He’s skating in a red, non-contact jersey, too, and is expected to return in the next week or so.
Here’s what the Hutton signing tells us: The Islanders signed Ben Hutton to a PTO on Sunday before signing him to a one-year deal worth $900,000 on Thursday before puck drop. With Ryan Pulock (upper body) out for 2-4 weeks — although he’s been skating with the team in a red, non-contact jersey — Hutton is now available if needed. He couldn’t play while on his PTO, and it sounds like DeBoer, who knows Hutton from Vegas, is going to give him an opportunity. Despite Isaiah George being healthy, the organization doesn’t appear to view him as ready for consistent NHL minutes. Otherwise, he’d likely be up and playing over Matt Kessel. Keeping George in Hamilton is the better option than having him sit as the seventh defenseman, which is partly why I believe Hutton was brought in.
As for why the Islanders haven’t used the trade market to bring in a forward or defenseman: Most teams in the NHL right now are dealing with injuries of their own. Not only is the price to acquire anyone astronomical, but many teams just can’t afford to move players right now. It’s not as simple as going out and making a trade.
A few positives: Mitchell Chaffee scored his first goal as a member of the Islanders, getting the team on the board. DeBoer said the line was “relentless” and credited it with tilting the ice, something he acknowledged the Islanders haven’t gotten enough of this season. Schenn’s line also provided a spark, with Brayden and Victor Eklund scoring in this one. DeBoer called Schenn’s line the Islanders’ best forward line and rewarded Schenn and his linemate with late 6-on-5 ice time. Chaffee felt the Islanders played a strong game at 5-on-5 and needed to build on it because, as he said, “It’s not going to get any easier.”
