Last night on Hockey Night in New York, Pete Blackburn of Bally Sports joined Sean Cuthbert and Stefen Rosner to get an outsider's take on the Isles and get us prepped for the Isles visit to Boston later in the week.
The Isles are off to a 5-2-3 start through 10 games and find themselves battling in the top half of the Metro division in the early going of the season. But is it all a mirage? Sean and Stefen dissected the Isles struggles holding onto leads and leaving points on the board, Lane Lambert's role in those struggles, and plenty more on the Isles latest body of work.
Good Morning, Islanders Country.
2023-24 has been a role reversal for the New York Islanders through ten games of the season. Around this time last year, the Isles were notoriously slow starters, a trend that stuck with them throughout the season.
You may recall a stretch of games in late October/early November where they found themselves down multi-goals early, only to mount furious comebacks and not only steal a point but two with thrilling OT wins.
Slow starts haven’t been the problem this season; it’s been quite the opposite, and overtime …errr…let’s not discuss.
After two more first-period goals on Saturday, the Isles have outscored their opponents 10-3 after 20 minutes. The three goals allowed are the fewest in the league. They’ve led 2-0 in each of their last five games. All wonderful stats if they weren’t accompanied by the fact that for the fourth time in seven home games, the team blew a two-goal lead.
“We’re certainly hoping it’s not a trend,” Lambert said of the blown leads. “We have given away a couple of multigoal leads, and it’s certainly not a recipe for success. Is it a trend? No, it’s too early, but it’s certainly something we need to make sure doesn’t become a trend.”
I think most watching would beg to differ with Lane’s assessment.
The coach’s proposed solution seems simple enough; manage the puck better, be more decisive, and don’t sit back and let the opponent dictate the flow of the game. “We'll address it, and we'll be better because of it,” said Mathew Barzal after the game.
That sounds good, but it’s also what they said the last time.
Coming up, Mathew Barzal gets fined again, and the Isles were down another defenseman again. Plus, Simon Holmstrom is trending upwards, Alexei Yashin turns 50, Big Z runs a big race, and an “Uptown Girl” takes in a home game.
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