The most telling Islanders statistic is 2-6. That's their overtime/loss record, meaning eight of their first 18 games have gone into extra periods, with six of them losses.
That tells us a lot about the young Islanders. They're good. They're good enough to hang with most opponents for 60 minutes. They just run into problems after the end of regulation.
A lot of this is a symptom of their age. Their three leading point-earners were all born after 1983. John Tavares went straight from the draft to the Isles' top line.
A lot of the overtime trouble is also a symptom of coach Scott Gordon's offense. It's a relentlessly attacking style that has players converging on the net. There's not much backchecking, or defense. It's all about skaters converging on the opposing goalie.
So basically, unless the Islanders get a sudden influx of experienced NHL players, or Gordon decides to alter his coaching philosophy, it's looking like the Islanders are going to continue to survive off of the charity point.
But there is one factor that could prove to be game-changing for the Isles.
The variable that just might change their fort ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Steven Ovadia
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