Comments on: Lackluster 3rd crashes Isles http://eyesonisles.com/2009/12/22/lackluster-3rd-crashes-isles/ A New York Islanders Blog Wed, 09 May 2012 15:12:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: John Panarese http://eyesonisles.com/2009/12/22/lackluster-3rd-crashes-isles/comment-page-1/#comment-66 John Panarese Tue, 22 Dec 2009 21:10:53 +0000 http://eyesonisles.com/?p=106#comment-66 Yes, another "partial" effort. Two pretty good periods, but then mailing it in in the third. Either we completely out play the opposition, but lose to hard luck, or we have these 20 plus minute lapses that cost us games. I think that the consistent effort is the first of 3 overall problems. G touched on the other 2 as well. The power play needs to get its act together and the penalty kill HAS to keep the opposing team off the scoreboard. In regards to the PP, let's go back to basics. Shots on net, crash the net and take out the trash. The Isles seem to pass far too much and are looking for the "perfect play". For example, in having caught many Black Hawks games, they have a pretty basic philosophy that has their d-men fire the puck every chance they can and the forwards collapsing on the net to bury rebounds. Hunter and Moulson have done the dirty work quite well, around the blue paint and we need to concentrate on doing Much more of that. As for the PK, the aggressive style earlier in the season is missing. Indeed, 10 out of their last 17 is unacceptable. We are fortunate that we still are not "out of it" in the standings, but the specialty teams HAVE to start coming up big every night. As for Kyle Okposo and JT, as young players, I think that they will come around in time. Kyle still gets his chances and works hard every shift. John is still a "rookie" and he will have stretches like this where the points do not come so easily. Other guys, though, need to step up and contribute as well. Yes, another “partial” effort. Two pretty good periods, but then mailing it in in the third. Either we completely out play the opposition, but lose to hard luck, or we have these 20 plus minute lapses that cost us games.

I think that the consistent effort is the first of 3 overall problems. G touched on the other 2 as well. The power play needs to get its act together and the penalty kill HAS to keep the opposing team off the scoreboard.

In regards to the PP, let’s go back to basics. Shots on net, crash the net and take out the trash. The Isles seem to pass far too much and are looking for the “perfect play”. For example, in having caught many Black Hawks games, they have a pretty basic philosophy that has their d-men fire the puck every chance they can and the forwards collapsing on the net to bury rebounds. Hunter and Moulson have done the dirty work quite well, around the blue paint and we need to concentrate on doing Much more of that.

As for the PK, the aggressive style earlier in the season is missing. Indeed, 10 out of their last 17 is unacceptable. We are fortunate that we still are not “out of it” in the standings, but the specialty teams HAVE to start coming up big every night.

As for Kyle Okposo and JT, as young players, I think that they will come around in time. Kyle still gets his chances and works hard every shift. John is still a “rookie” and he will have stretches like this where the points do not come so easily. Other guys, though, need to step up and contribute as well.

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