3 GAMES AND 3 THINGS LEARNED: About This Year’s NY Islanders

The Islanders have played three games. They have flubbed one lead, come back to tie, and tried with all their might to hold off last year’s cup champs. In those three games we have seen glimmers of what might be the season-long themes for the 2009-2010 NY Islanders.

1. The Real Deals:
If anyone hasn’t noticed, the driving force to this offense has made himself clear. The rise of Kyle Okposo has been clearer with the A on his uniform, but it is the A in effort he brings to the table each game that is beginning to show himself as an engine.
His line of Matt Moulson: a feel good story that is showing to be much more than just a preseason stint…and another clear real deal in John Tavares, has looked like he belongs on a number one line on this team. Tavares leads this team with 5 points in 3 games.

This line has created chaos, action, and accrued points.

Without them, this would be a zero points in three games team. Instead, despite leads won or lost, this line and the new level of Okposo’s play along with key linemates has show that whatever the dents in the facade or things missing on the frame, there is a fine engine under the hood.

2. Better Defensive Schemes:
Instead of last year, as goalies had to make insane saves as defensive perimeters collapsed like a Jay Leno joke, the very earthy and perhaps unimpressive defense has shown far more pluck and ability thus far. We’ve seen Brendan Witt line-up some hits starting with the bone-rattler on Malkin. We’ve seen Streit’s top dman wizardry. We’ve even seen Brune Gervais remove offensemen from the plays, despite leading with negatives of the plus/minus with a -5. Andy Sutton has seemed to be dealing out most body blows.

The defense schema has changed and tightened, leaving them in games that last year they simply could not keep up with. This has opened up a stronger focus and offensive generation where that aforementioned first line has thrived. Because the defense has been able to hold and pinching up on plays has not left the doors wide open.

The Islanders are still missing that key #2 dman that could breakout. Look no further to the Isles NY rivals as their last year aim of Matt Gilroy and rookie Del Zotto show on a veteran team the kind of pluck and might that the Isles needed. The Isles now have that capability with Calvin de Haan in their system in future year(s), but make no mistake that their defense has made some improvements under Greg Gilbert.

Yes, the Isles have lost two in a shootout and one in OT, but they are there to compete, and they have thus far.

3. Holy Goalie:
Rick DiPietro might have been seen in gear like a Where’s Waldo for hockey. But he has not seen a regular practice despite all that postive PR over the summer.

He is on a program that seens to be unwinding like a LOST storyline.

Meanwhile the Isles goalie position has been solid, if not unspectacular. Dwayne Roloson, to me, looked rusty for game 1, showing it plainly in the one on one of the shootout. Marty Biron was his usual: good saves with some softies. Between both, the Isles have had stronger vet presences as to hold and be steady, but also not be gamebreakers.

The one thing I will always recall in last year’s goalie tandem of Joey McDonald and Yann Danis was a good capability on the one-on-one shootout.

If the Isles compete each game as they have, we will see far more OT and shootouts, and I’d like to see some of that steady and vet presence actually hold off the opposing team.

This attribute might hold the Isles true fortunes this season besides the insidious injury bug that coach Scott Gordon’s style seems to amplify.

A word on injuries:

Scott Gordon’s system, call it overspeed or any other adjective, seems to cause a few body sprains, strains or issues. Tweaked groins, torn muscles, and the usual injury muck seems to hit this team far more than any other and already it is taking away key cogs from the Isles starting lineup:

Trent Hunter: pectoral muscle tear (2-4 weeks)
Doug Weight: strained groin (day to day)

In all honesty, despite Weight’s leadership as captain, it is Hunter’s injury who might have more effect when out. Hunter is a power forward. He can scoop up and score with the puck. He can crash and bang. He can do things that most callups, if not other players, cannot do or replace. No, The Wrecker and his few minutes of gametime will not ease his loss.

Charts imported from the NHL.com website