When the New York Islanders arrived at the training camp, Patrick RoyThis is the first time with the team, that the new identity of the team has started to take shape.
“We are trying to build a culture and a new identity for this team,” Jean-Gabriel Pageau said in September. “(This identity) plays hard for 60 years like we want. We want to build this identity.”
“We’re creating this culture, this identity that Patty wants and that we want,” added Scott Mayfield. “You see it in practice, you see it in the way we work – we’re a little more physical and do a little more skating – and that’s the biggest difference from previous camps.”
Despite the work they have done to start the 2024-25 campaign, the foot has not always seemed to press on the accelerator at the consistent pace needed for success, losing leads and failing to score on their chances.
Then, before they could reach their “A” game, the injuries began to pile up.
First, Anthony Duclair was out for 4-6 weeks with a lower body injury against the Montreal Canadiens on October 19th.
Then it was Alexander Romanov, who suffered an upper body injury against the New Jersey Devils on October 25.
Less than a week later, the Islanders lost star Mathew Barzal to an upper body injury, with a 4-6 week delay, placing him on long-term injured reserve after a collision against THE Columbus Blue Jackets on October 30.
Against the Buffalo swords Last Friday, the Islanders welcomed Romanov back into the lineup after a three-game absence, only to lose him again as he missed two straight games with an upper-body injury.
In that same game, the Islanders also lost Mike Reilly to an upper body injury after he was knocked out by Sabers forward Jordan Greenway, the same person who injured Romanov, as well as defenseman Adam Pelech to due to a jaw injury that took him out. for 4 to 6 weeks (injured reserve).
The Islanders had a choice to make. They could wave the white flag, with two-thirds of their top line and the entire left side of their blue line removed.
But in the third period against the Sabres, the Islanders chose to come together and up their game, earning a 4-3 victory to end a three-game slide.
“It was a gutsy win by everyone, and we said that before the game. Guys are going to have to step up when guys go down. And we already did that tonight,” Horvat said. “There are so many guys who are not only playing really well and getting on the scoresheet, but also putting their bodies on the line. And certainly, it wasn’t an easy game for the defense there, but that shows the character of this team. We found a way.
Related: How ‘courageous’ win over Buffalo could change Islanders’ season
Consistency is about building on successful performance. The battered Islanders did their best against the New York Rangerslosing 5-2 in a game where their 5-on-5 game was more than enough to earn a victory, with their special teams failure proving costly.
Related: WATCH: Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin robs Rangers Reilly Smith in first period
“We played a good game. We did a lot of good things,” Roy said. “There are always things you think you can improve on, win or lose. It doesn’t matter. We left a few too many chances in our follow-up, so in our defensive zone we have to be a little better in it.”
On the offensive side of the puck, Roy wanted a patient attack.
“I like the way we controlled the game on Sunday, and that’s something we want to continue to work on, control the game,” Roy said. “The teams I played with and we won, we controlled the game. I want our guys to know that when we have the puck, we control the game. When we’re ready to attack, we attack, you know? There is no need to do something if there is no pressure. We have to take our time and when we are ready, we attack.
Related: Roy’s message to Islanders after tense start to Monday’s practice
Their match against those in difficulty Pittsburgh Penguins was an opportunity to bounce back from the Rangers loss and achieve victory.
After going down 3-1 early in the third period, it looked like it would be another one of those games where the Islanders failed to rise to the occasion, regardless of injuries.
But they changed the narrative with a pesky third-period comeback to force overtime.
Simon Holmstrom scored his first career goal on the power play before Jean-Gabriel Pageau was pulled from the slot to tie the score at 3-3 with 7:22 left in the third.
Then, in overtime, the Islanders were awarded a penalty with 2:30 left, which is usually a death sentence.
The short-handed Islanders team, which had allowed a power-play goal on three tries to sit 4-for-12 at home, rose to the occasion.
A shootout was required, where Horvat scored the winner in the second round. Ilya Sorokin made three saves to give the Islanders the victory, making it two wins in their last three games.
Related: Third-period comeback helps Islanders earn 4-3 shootout win over Penguins
“I think you just have to keep a cool head, don’t get down on yourself, don’t get frustrated, even though it’s hard sometimes,” Horvat said, which is how the team came back. “We have a positive group here, a good group of leaders that keeps the room positive, and as soon as we established what we are made of and our identity, and we got back to the basics of our success, we took off there -down in third position so we need to do more.”
The identity of the islanders is being shaped. It’s not quite there yet, but this tough team to play against has come to the forefront as the injury list has grown.
“I’m really happy with the group and the way we held on,” Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson said. “We found a way. We’ve been in this position at home many times, and we haven’t been able to get this tie. It’s nice to see a power play, a big goal and a big win in overtime Just a huge win. Hopefully we can get some momentum and feel good.
It’s been a team effort since Barzal’s injury, but a few players have truly stepped up.
Ryan Pulock, who plays his offside, averaged 27:56 minutes per game, with Noah Dobson playing 26:46 and Scott Mayfield playing 23:05.
Horvat led the forward group, averaging 21:47 per night.
The Islanders, who were a top-six pick before the injuries, are now scoring goals from all over the lineup, with nine goals coming from seven different scorers.
Kyle Palmieri and Pageau have two, with Casey Cizikas, Brock Nelson, Horvat, Holmstrom and Maxim Tsyplakov scoring.
Oliver Wahlstrom and Pierre Engvall have raised their level of play in the last three games.
Depth defenders Dennis Cholowski and Grant Hutton did what they could to help take minutes from the big three defenders.
Isaiah Georgewho made his NHL debut Tuesday night, immediately gained confidence by playing 15:41, including a 40-second period in overtime.
Sorokin played in all three games, stopping 99 of 109 shots, a key player in these last two victories, doing everything he could to keep them within reach against the Rangers.
“What I like about our group is that they are resilient. They don’t feel sorry for themselves,” Roy said. “We should feel good about ourselves.”
On a team level, the Islanders’ power play has struggled again, going 2 for 14 over their last three games, but both goals were huge, with Palmieri’s against Buffalo giving the team a 1-2 lead. two goals and that of Holmstrom against the Penguins. reducing the Islanders’ deficit to one in the third.
Allowing the shorthanded goal against the Rangers ultimately cost them, along with going 0 for 5, so let’s not just think it’s fixed because it’s not. But two power play goals in three games isn’t something to ignore either.
The penalty kill is 8 of 11 (72.72%) after being just 6 of 16 (37.5%) through the first 10 games of the season.
They were more physical, going from 19.75 per game before the Sabers game to 21.3.
Finding consistency with so many players out is a difficult task.
But good teams find a way.
While the team certainly hasn’t been good enough in 2024-25, going 5-6-2 through 13 games, the season isn’t over.
They are part of the wild cards with 69 games to play.
The only way for the islanders to keep climbing and not fall back into the same patterns that tormented them when they were healthy is for them to live up to the identity they sought to have, the one that has come to life over the past three years. games.”
The next game for the Islanders will be the Ottawa Senators (6-6-0) on Thursday night, across the border.
With Romanov and Reilly not yet back on the ice and Barzal, Duclair and Pelech no closer to returning, annoying will once again have to be the name of the game for the Islanders as they try to build on their victory the most impressive of the season. .
