New York Islanders Three Things Learned From Detroit Win

The System Is Broken

Have we all gotten the positive energy out? Are we done with the jubilation of the win? Is it time for sober reflection? (It better be, cause if not the next bit is going to be awkward).

Winning 7-6 in the fashion that the New York Islanders did was great. Five goals in a single period, four on the power play, a hat-trick from Brock Nelson, and third five-point night on the season from Mathew Barzal. Outstanding.

But again, there’s no reason the New York Islanders should have been in a position to do all that in the first place.

In the first period, the Islanders went down 2-0 within five minutes. Both goals were thanks to bad defensive plays. Plays that shouldn’t be happening at the NHL level. First, it was Ryan Pulock trying to intercept a pass and completely missing. Giving Anthony Mantha a breakaway on Thomas Greiss.

Then it was a team mistake. A turnover on the half-wall by John Tavares (who was being double teamed) lead to the Red Wings dishing it to Martin Frk who was all alone in the slot. Thomas Hickey tried to get his body in front of it, but it was too little too late. PS: where was Hickey on that play?

Hickey was so far out of the play that he couldn’t react to what was going on on the ice. That’s a systems issue. The defensive system that’s being drilled into Hickey’s play is telling to stand in a spot that’s keeping that slot area wide open.

The Islanders defensive system is absolutely broken. They have to fix this issue as soon as humanly possible.