The Islanders are off until Wednesday, when they continue their trail of tears western road trip in Anaheim to take on the surging Ducks. The Isles actually did some better things, defensively, on Saturday night against the Sharks but they were ineffective, offensively, losing in San Jose 3-1. As November is now upon us, the Isles need to come out, desperate, on Wednesday night and find a way to secure some much needed points.
As each loss mounts, more attention is brought to the coaching staff. We all know that this team is plenty capable of winning; we have seen it already this season. What we have not seen is an ability for the staff to make adjustments when the game isn’t going according to plan. Simply put, Islanders’ Head Coach Jack Capuano has to find a way to field the best combination of lines possible and so far that is not working.
Despite Kyle Okposo’s first period goal on Saturday, the first line just looks off. It is hard to put into words but Tavares, Okposo, and whomever is playing with them just isn’t clicking. The top line has also been dreadful in their own end. I always hear the mantra, "well the top line isn’t out there for its defense." That is all well and good but John Tavares and his linemates must be at least average in their own end, especially when the offense has dried up. If you look at some of the centers that have lifted the Stanley Cup in recent years, Anze Kopitar and Jonathan Toews to name a few, play a complete game. I’d actually take ten to fifteen less points from the top line if it meant they were defensively responsible. Perhaps a different voice or different system could maximize that.
This team just seems to lack focus and confidence right now. They keep making the same mistakes over and over. If it’s not a neutral zone turnover, it’s a D zone breakdown and there is always too much space between the forwards and defensemen. There just seems to be this stubbornness or unwillingness to alter a plan mid-game. It is like they are saying, “This is what we do and even if it’s not working we are going to keep doing it.… It is as simple as having to watch the fourth line take an offensive zone face-off after a television timeout. That makes me want to gouge my eyes out.
For years I always said we could not get on the coach because he didn’t have the horses to run with. Well, Islanders General Manager Garth Snow provided the necessary talent during the offseason and if this team continues to look this bad, a change has to be made before the season is lost. Missing the playoffs is not an option this season. Players and staff must be on a short leash and if someone isn’t performing, they need to make the necessary changes to ensure a successful season. As always, for more on all things hockey, please follow me twitter at @DanDanNoodles78.