Stefen Rosner
A step forward, a step back. Two steps forward, two steps back. No this is not the Cha Cha Slide (shoutout DJ Casper). This is the New York Islanders this season, as the inability to string together wins has their backs against the wall in Game 43.
“It’s at that point right now where you know, each game you’re going into is the biggest game of the year and that’s a mindset,” Casey Cizikas said following Tuesday’s morning skate. “When you go there, you play for 60 and you do what you have to do to help the team be successful.”
But here’s the problem. The Islanders have struggled to play a full sixty more times than not this season, which has cost the Islanders points in the standings.
“We haven’t played a full 60-minute game,” Trotz said following practice this past Monday. “Every coach will want it and there’s not much difference between you know, the team, so you’re not going to dominate a team for 60 minutes.”
“We have some good pieces but we need them all sort of going the distance on everything and pulling on the rope.”
It starts with being ready to play when the puck is dropped.
Through 42 games played this season, the Islanders have scored the first goal of games 21 times with a record of 13-4-4 (.714 P%). Although a drop off from last season (23-2-2, .888%), that’s a strong record.
The problem, however is on the flip side of this stat.
This season the Islanders have allowed the first goal in 21 games, with a rather lopsided record of 4-15-2 (.238). Last season the Islanders were 9-15-2 (.385).
Over the last 10 games, the Islanders have allowed the first goal eight times.They are 2-6-0 over that span. The Islanders “came back” to win against the Philadelphia Flyers while they were in free fall and against the weak Ottawa Senators.
Then it’s about playing a full game when the lead is obtained.
Even after a five-goal first period against the Vancouver Canucks last Wednesday, the New York Islanders could not find their game in the second period after a dominant push.
