Islanders Road Trip: A Microcosm Of Season
The Islanders were just five minutes away from ending the road trip on a good note, but instead, they come home with a sour taste in their mouth after anothing deflating loss.
The New York Islanders have had a handful of deflating losses like we saw last night.
A failure to hold a lead for a third straight game turned what could have been a solid showing on a season-long five game road trip into a disaster leaving more questions than answers.
A 1-2-2 record on the trip could have read 4-0-1 had the Islanders been able to get an insurance marker in any of the last three games.
Patrick Roy and the players are running out of answers as to why this keeps happening.
Coming home is important, where the Islanders play the next three at UBS Arena after playing 13 of the first 20 on the road.
But, it’s not like these issues only arise when the Islanders are away from Elmont.
The Islanders are 2-3-2 on home ice this season, where they’ve blown four third-period leads.
For a team that used to be so good at shutting things down, they’ve just lost that mojo over the last few seasons. But that mental game needed to win these close games is in there.
The question is, can they rediscover how to win these games at some point or are we going to see a team deal with this all season, for a second straight year?
THE SKINNY & ISLANDERS NEWS
Before we dive into the road trip, 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 allowed only 25 goals in the first and second periods but have allowed 33 goals in the third period and overtime…The 29 goals allowed in the third period are the most in the NHL.
Check out much more at Hornick’s The Skinny: Detroit 2, Isles 1
Jets’ Woody Johnson vs. Islanders’ Scott Malkin: A Tale Of Opposite Ownership Styles - THN
Lifelong Islanders Fan Ralph Macchio Receives Star On Hollywood Walk Of Fame - THN
Should Varlamov Start Again? Islanders' Goalie Debate Ahead Of Detroit Matchup - THN
Islanders Pierre Engvall Showing Just How Good He Can Be When He's On His Game - THN
Islanders Can't Break Cycle, Blow Another Third Period Lead; Fall 2-1 In Regulation To Red Wings For Third Straight Loss
The New York Islanders were on the verge of heading home feeling good about themselves after a five-game road trip. But a failure to hold on to a third-period lead for a third straight game ended in a 2-1 regulation loss to the Detroit Red Wings.
The Islanders go 1-2-2 on their season-long five-game road trip, dropping their last three games (0-2-1).
Read how the game unfolded HERE.
Islanders Could Use More From Once Brilliant Fourth Line
The New York Islanders have seen certain players rise to the occasion to help carry some of the offensive workload with Mathew Barzal and Anthony Duclair out of the lineup.
But, head coach Patrick Roy has also seen certain players fail to do so.
Although the top-nine forwards are relied on to produce offensively, this season's fourth line was supposed to be more offensive than the fourth lines of years past.
The trio of Matt Martin, Casey Cizikas, and Cal Clutterbuck brought the shutdown style that paved the way for the team's identity for years, but with Clutterbuck not back, Casey Cizikas skating on the third line, and Matt Martin playing sparing minutes, that line's dynamic has changed.
Read the rest at The Hockey News.
Islanders Road Trip: A Microcosm Of Season
A quick summary of the Islanders’ season thus far is that they have failed to hold leads, build on leads, have a power play that lacks game-breaking power, and have a shorthanded unit that has struggled to bail the team out.
And of the four losses the Islanders suffered on this five-game road trip, they followed that script to a tee.
In the Edmonton Oilers game, a 4-3 loss against the Stanley Cup finalists, the Islanders rallied to force overtime, a valiant effort.
However, the Islanders power play went 0-for-2, while the penalty kill allowed one on two attempts.
Skipping over the dominant win against the Vancouver Canucks, the Islanders played a strong two periods against the Seattle Kraken only to blow a 2-1 lead in the third period and allow the game-winning goal with 3:13 to play in the in a 3-2 loss.
The Islanders’ power play went 0-for-1, but the penalty kill denied all four chances against.
Special teams led to dreads in Calgary, a 2-1 shootout loss. The power play went 0-for-4, including one in overtime, while the penalty kill allowed the tying goal with 11:43 to go in regulation. That was the Flames’ only power play of the game.
Detroit was a spitting image of the Seattle game. The Islanders’ power play went 0-for-1, while the penalty kill was a perfect 3-for-3. The Islanders had a lead in the third period, allowing the 1-1 tying goal with 4:46 to play in regulation before giving up the game-winning goal with 51.1 seconds left.
“I mean, it feels just as shi—y as the last time. Somehow, I guess, shi—ier at the same time,” a frustrated Kyle Palmieri said following the loss to to Detroit. “We know we have to be better. It's about executing.
“I think, realistically, we have to figure out a way to execute under the kind of pressure that protecting a late lead requires.” (H/t @AndrewGross)
Islanders head coach Patrick Roy, who hates losing more than he likes winning, couldn’t help but give off a frustrated laugh when asked, again, about a blown third-period lead.
“I don't see the same thing every time. That's for sure. Yeah. I mean, it's different every night. Calgary was penalty-killing. They scored on their power play. Tonight was a broken stick. It seems like there's always something different every night, but I'll say this. We had our chance to score a goal that would hurt them, and we just didn't do it.
“So it's a mix of all that. I mean, scoring a goal could change the rhythm of the game. In Calgary, here, in St Louis, or in all the games where we lost by one goal. I guess that could have made a difference.”
Roy brings up a great point.
In all of these games except the Oilers game, where they were dominated, all the other games saw major opportunities to build on leads, and, outside of their win in Vancouver, they did not extend a lead past a goal.
Not that the Islanders haven’t blown multi-goal leads before, but your chances go down the more you score and right now, offense isn’t there.
But every loss was a one-goal loss, being outscored 13-12 on the road trip.
It’s very realistic to think that the Islanders should have had points in every game of this trip, not in three of five. The great teams in this league are great because those one-goal leads turn into one-goal wins.
Looking at the entire season, going through games where the Islanders were winning but lost or severely outplaying the other team. Instead of sitting at 7-8-5 through 20 games, the lslanders could be sitting 14-3-3. These games have been that close, and the mistakes are slim but painful.
And that’s what is the most frustrating part for the guys, fans and management.
The belief is still there because they really are “right there.” That doesn’t mean the Islanders' issues go away. But even when the Islanders had weak special-team showings and blew a lead, they had the ability to win them all.
The sign of a good team is a team that finds ways to win games when they’re not at their best, and the Islanders are finding ways to lose them.
Surprise Seats! (click image for details):
Skate before a game at The Park at UBS Arena (click image for details):
Complimentary Parking!
Once again for the 2024-25 season, those that drive a BMW can receive complimentary single-game parking in the Emerald Parking lot.
Please click the BMW | Islanders image below for parking registration information,
