Mid-Season Grind Catching Up With Islanders Production
A lack of offense & power-play production has put unsustainable pressure on the defense and goaltending.
The New York Islanders have leaned heavily on elite goaltending and a strong penalty kill as of late, a formula that has helped them grind out valuable points in a tight Metropolitan Division race.
Winning close games is a skill — and a mental toughness playoff teams must have, but the Islanders’ lack of offense has forced them to have to do this too often. It’s reminiscent of the Barry Trotz era. The one difference is that the Islanders are producing offensive chances at a high rate. They’re just not executing.