Empire Writes Back
Fansided

New York Islanders: What is the Islanders’ key to success?

By John Carroll Jr.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 16: Jordan Eberle (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 16: Jordan Eberle (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The New York Islanders’ win over the LA Kings on Saturday night may have only been one win but it set a very important tone.

1 of 82 games is such a microscopic scale in the NHL season. The New York Islanders are also a team with so many “bigger” games ahead of them but after beating the Kings at home, they might be on to something.

I believe that the win against the Kings on Saturday night exposes the Islanders’ key to success in the regular season and beyond.

The Islanders have way too many goaltending and defensive inefficiencies to win games just that way.

Giving up more than three goals a game frequently will not get them very far into the playoffs, if it even gets them there at all.

That is why beating LA set a tone for how they are going to need to win games.

The Islanders gave up three goals. In a season where the Isles have given up plenty more, three is a fine middle.

The Islanders can give up three goals and win just about any night. Most teams cannot even say that.

To expect the Isles to shut out an opponent is not wise, they have not all season.

So three goals are just about the average amount of goals they can give up and still be near guaranteed to win.

As for the production on the other end of the ice, the top line and playmakers are key.

Against the Kings, the John Tavares–Anders Lee–Josh Bailey line was responsible for all the team’s regulation goals.

Tavares netted a goal and helped on two, Lee netted one, and Bailey continued his hot stretch by netting one.

In OT, the Jordan Eberle–Mat Barzal pairing continues to be a match made in heaven.

So, with all that said, here is how the win against the Kings showed the New York Islanders’ recipe for success.

The Kings are a great team, they have even better goaltending and another top-notch top line.

So, the Islanders, in this game, showed that they can beat anybody if…

They get enough from their goaltending

Thomas Greiss did not play great but did not play terribly. If he continues to do just enough and has games like the one against LA where he only let three pucks cross, the Islanders will be in good shape. The same goes for Jaroslav Halak.

The top line is productive 

Right now, the Tavares-Lee-Bailey line can hang with the best in the entire NHL.

More from Empire Writes Back

If Saturday didn’t show it, then let all the other games show you that when Bailey and Tavares are productive and Lee can score goals, the Islanders will be able to generate at least the three goals the goaltending seemingly give up.

If this line keeps showing chemistry, and are producing, their time on the ice will be a nightmare matchup for opposing teams.

Very few teams have lines as deep as the Islanders.

Doug Weight keeps adjusting

Doug Weight is pretty consistent with his starting lineups every game. But when Eberle was not clicking with Tavares, coach adjusted and put Eberle and Barzal together.

The duo has visibly made each other better all year and it was the duo (with Eberle scoring the game-winning OT goal) that won them the game against LA.

Pairing Barzal and Eberle was an adjustment Weight made to keep all the most talented players around each other.

Every NHL coach does this, but Weight does it better than most.

The Barzal-Eberle pair is perhaps the real key.

But, if Weight can find another duo like them, then they could be the key.

Next: Do the Isles have a problem playing on the road?

Overall, the Islanders’ resiliency, grit, and focus win them games. But, decent goaltending, an unstoppable line, and top skaters making plays is the key to the New York Islanders succeeding.

If all three of these things happen every game, the New York Islanders can go very deep into June.

Home/New York Islanders