Islanders Power Play Struggles Proving To Be Difference Maker In Standings
The Islanders put up another goose egg on the power play in yet another tight loss.
We thought Saturday was going to be a “turning of the page” for the New York Islanders when it came to their blowing leads problem, but that turned out not to be the case.
For the second time in four days, the Detroit Red Wings came back from down in the third period to not only tie the game and win in regulation, giving the Islanders another crushing defeat to add to a list of crushing defeats this season.
With how wide-open the wild-card race is in the Eastern Conference, these are the games the Islanders have to find a way to win, especially as they work their way back to full health.
But, as Islanders captain Anders Lee said, “The mistakes we’re making, we’re not getting away with. When we make a mistake, it bites us in the ass.”
THE SKINNY & ISLANDERS NEWS
Before we get to the power play, here’s "The Skinny" from Eric Hornick (Brendan Burke and Butch Goring’s MSG Networks statistician). The site is updated after each game with incredible statistics and facts.
Hornick Gems: The Isles have outscored the opposition 33-26 in the first and second periods but have been outscored 37-21 in the third period and overtime…The 33 goals allowed in the third period are the most in the NHL
Check out much more at Hornick’s The Skinny: Detroit 4, Isles 2
Semyon Varlamov's Turnaround & The Key To His Consistency For Islanders - THN
Islanders On Just How Important Closing Out Win Over St. Louis Was For Their Confidence - THN
Islanders Must Take Down The Lyon To Avoid A Season Sweep By Red Wings - THN
The Biggest Reason Islanders Were Able To Hold The Lead Against Blues - THN
Jets’ Woody Johnson vs. Islanders’ Scott Malkin: A Tale Of Opposite Ownership Styles - THN
Islanders Fail To Hold Lead In Third; Lose To Red Wings 4-2
ELMONT, NY -- The New York Islanders looked to continue to ride the UBS Arena momentum Monday against the Detroit Red Wings after defeating the St. Louis Blues Saturday on home ice.
Instead, the Isles reverted to some old bad habits and gave up a third-period lead again to fall to Detroit 4-2 in another Long Island heartbreaker.
Read the rest at The Hockey News.
Duclair Takes A Step Towards Islanders Return
ELMONT, NY -- New York Islanders offseason signing Anthony Duclair played only five games before suffering a lower-body injury against the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 19.
However, after missing five weeks and 17 games, there's some positive news on the 29-year-old.
Per the Islanders, Duclair is skating on his own, which is a positive sign that his return is drawing near.
Read more at The Hockey News.
Islanders Power Play Struggles Proving To Be Difference Maker In Standings
Like clockwork, the New York Islanders blew another third-period lead on Monday night, starting the third period up 2-1 to the Detroit Red Wings before falling 4-2.
The locker room postgame was as frustrating as I’ve ever seen it. The players and head coach Patrick Roy are running out of words just 22 games into the season.
“I don't think it's one [thing],” Islanders captain Anders Lee said. It's the way that the game's going right now. We're not getting away with anything.”
While you can point to a myriad of reasons for the Islanders’ inability to hold on, there’s one area of their game that is the biggest reason why this team doesn’t sit higher in the standings.
And that’s their lack of success on the power play.
The Islanders went 0-for-3 on the man advantage in the loss and now sit at 12.7% on the season to earn the title as the worst power play in the NHL (8-for-63).
“On the first one, we couldn't get inside [the offensive zone],” Roy said. “We didn't do a good job getting that puck in. In the third, it could have been a key moment if we could have scored on that power play. The power play had a chance to make the difference and make it a 3-1 game, and we just didn't do it.”
Roy said that there are thoughts about changing the power-play lines.
They don’t have a choice.
The Islanders have 14 losses this season, nine in regulation and five in extra time.
In those losses, the Islanders' power play is a combined 2-for-34, a mere 5.88%. Of those 14 losses, 11 have been one-goal games, including games where opponents scored empty-net goals.
Here’s the breakdown:
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