Islanders look to extend winning streak to season-high three games
Islanders players celebrate their win over the Ottawa Senators after their game in Ottawa on Sunday. Credit: AP/Spencer Colby
It’s not hyperbole to suggest Tuesday night’s match against the Kings at UBS Arena is the Islanders’ biggest of the season so far.
Never mind anything the Islanders can show to their fan base or the nitpicking media. Ultimately, the Islanders must prove to themselves that they are what they say they are, which is a playoff contender. Putting together their first three-game winning streak of the season would go a long way toward extending the budding confidence the Islanders gained with a solid back-to-back sweep of the visiting Hurricanes and the host Senators over the weekend.
The Islanders (11-11-7) can show that against the Kings by playing connected defensively and creating more — much more — than the 12 shots they mustered in Ottawa on Sunday. They can do that by having their special teams — the power play is ranked 31st in the NHL and the penalty kill 32nd and last — again make a difference after going 2-for-2 and 2-for-3, respectively, against the Senators. They can do that by not faltering in the third period.
The first 29 injury-plagued games have been somewhat of an inconsistent mess for the Islanders. Game No. 30, against a Kings team that has won five straight and seven of 10, is a chance to show they are — finally — headed in the right direction.
“One thing I will say is we’re a very resilient team and that’s what makes me proud of this group,” coach Patrick Roy said after the 4-2 win in Ottawa, which marked just the second time this season the Islanders have won consecutive games. “Every time people think we’re going in a different direction, we always find a way to win games and come back.”
Miraculously, given their struggles — remember, before this weekend the Islanders played perhaps their worst game in Thursday’s 5-2 loss to the visiting Kraken — they are right in the playoff mix in the so-so Eastern Conference, waking up Monday tied in points with the Rangers, who had played three fewer games, for the second wild-card spot.
Roy had set a goal of getting back to NHL .500, something the Islanders had not done since Nov. 23. Now, the goal is to creep above that mark while awaiting the return of injured top-liners Mathew Barzal (upper body) and Anthony Duclair (lower body) - who are both skating on their own - and defenseman Adam Pelech (jaw), who has resumed skating with the team.
“It’s got to be good for our group, mentally, with the number of injuries we have and to be able to be at the .500 mark,” Roy said. “Now, let’s try to get above .500.”
“We’re hovering around that spot,” Anders Lee said. “Let’s get to it. Let’s go from there. It’s a little bit of a marker right now for us. We’re going out there to win hockey games and play our best hockey and do whatever we can to improve while we have guys getting back healthy.”
So even though Tuesday night is just one game out of 82, there’s a lot riding for the Islanders on how they respond to their weekend success.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
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