How the Islanders can transform their perennially woeful power play
Brayden Schenn of the Islanders skates against the Los Angeles Kings at UBS Arena on Oct. 22. Credit: Jim McIsaac
There’s a necessary next step in the needed transformation of the Islanders’ power play from its cellar-dragging rankings in three of the past four seasons.
And it may be the hardest hurdle because it’s the most important element.
That’s actually scoring power-play goals more consistently by finishing off the opportunities that are starting to come with more regularity. The Islanders were 29th in the NHL on the man advantage at 15.9% (7 for 44) entering Thursday’s match with the Stanley Cup champion Hurricanes at UBS Arena to continue a three-game homestand.
“If we actually see some analytics and stats behind the scenes, there’s a lot of good things we’re doing,” Brayden Schenn, who plays on the first power-play unit, told Newsday. “I don’t think it feels as bad with being [29th] in the league, it doesn’t feel like a number that we should be there. We need some more finish, a little bit more execution, a little bit quicker puck movement. If we do [that], the plays will keep opening up and then we need the finish on top of that.”
The Islanders opened the homestand with Saturday’s 4-0 loss to the potent Oilers, who went 1 for 6 on the power play while the Islanders were 0 for 4. That left them 1 for 14 (7.1%) in their last four games.
Power-play work is a staple at every practice but coach Pete DeBoer focused the Islanders a little more on the details needed to finish plays during Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s skates.
At one point, DeBoer stationed two nets near to each other, one in the right corner and the other on the left half-wall. The two power-play units alternated, in rapid succession, a close-quarter drill that did see the puck move noticeably faster, mainly because of the small operating space.
“Support, quicker puck movement, making that last play to finish it off,” DeBoer said. “The last play is always the toughest. Sometimes it’s a one-touch. Sometimes it’s a saucer pass. In this league, in order to score – and that’s five-on-five, too – you have to be able to make some of those skill plays at the end and those are things you can work on.
“We are missing some skill in our lineup right now. You hope you add that skill back in and you’ll get more of those finishing plays. I’ve been very happy with the group grasping the foundation of what we want to do.”
Mathew Barzal (left knee), out since the opening of training camp, fellow top-six forward Matias Maccelli (lower body) and defenseman Ryan Pulock (upper body) all participated in Thursday’s optional morning skate, albeit in red, non-contact jerseys. It was the second straight day all three had skated with teammates.
Barzal, Maccelli and Cal Ritchie (lower body), who has not resumed skating, will all be used on the power play when healthy.
Even without the trio, the eye test confirms the Islanders are improved this season in power-play zone entries, moving the puck and rotating personal through the zone. DeBoer, hired with four games remaining last season, said the video he reviewed from last season showed a “stagnant” power play.
“The rotation is smoother,” Schenn said. “We just need to move the puck quicker and try not to hold it as long. We don’t have to skate it into the next guy. We have to move it quick and pass it and give that guy time and space. When that guy gets the puck, he has to make the right reads. We’ve had some looks that could have gone in and didn’t. It’s still a work in progress.”
The Islanders ranked 30th on the power play last season at 16.5% (40 for 242), marking the third time in four seasons they finished either 30th or 31st in the 32-team NHL.
According to StatMuse.com, the Islanders rank 14th with 8.43 shots per power play opportunities. But MoneyPuck.com ranked the Islanders 24th with a 6.48 shooting percentage on all five-on-four shot attempts.
So, yes, it is all about the finish.
“Honestly, I think we’re improving,” Matthew Schaefer, who quarterbacks the first power-play unit, told Newsday. “I think we have a lot of chances. We just have to keep moving the puck quick and finding what’s open. Once the goals start going in, I think it will help.”
It’s just a difficult next step to achieve.
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.
