Islanders power play has lethal outing in second period of Game 5

It’s been an issue for three years now. The New York Islanders don’t know how to run a power play. Since Barry Trotz took over the Islanders have done nothing but win. The power play however has had no part in that.

Since 2018-19, the Islanders power play is effective 16.5% of the time, ranking 26th out of 31 teams, with 89 goals on 539 opportunities. Again, the Islanders power play has been anything but powerful.

But in the second period against the Boston Bruins, it came to play.

The New York Islanders power play is lethal?

One of my three keys to beat the more talented Boston Bruins was to take advantage of the power play. The Bruins are one the most penalized teams during the regular season and in the first round of the playoffs. The Islanders were going to get their chances, making the Bruins pay for it would hand them a big advantage in the series.

The Isles were already on the board thanks to a power-play goal from Mathew Barzal near the end of the first period. But as the game progressed, the Bruins lack of discipline kicked in.

First, it was Matt Grzelcyk, for cross-checking early in the second. On that power play, Kyle Palmieri buries his sixth goal of the playoffs to make it 2-1 for the Islanders.

Later in the period, former Islanders Chris Wagner goes after Mathew Barzal in the neutral zone with a high crosscheck well away from the play. Easy call for the refs to make.

Mathew Barzal has been a force for the Islanders in this series. After a slow start, the Isles star has four points in his last three games. With that power-play goal in the first and a primary assist on this Jordan Eberle power-play goal, Barzal now has back-to-back multi-point games

The fact that the Islanders are able to score on the power play with two of their better power-play performers injured (Lee and Wahlstrom) is one hell of a revelation. And against the Bruins no less. Remember, the Bruins were the second-best penalty kill team in the NHL this season with an 86% efficiency.