New York Islanders could be entering panic territory

The New York Islanders could be entering panic territory as the season approaches the end of October. The Isles got out to a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night.

But then, the wheels gradually came off.

The Bruins scored three in the second to take a 3-2 lead into the second intermission. By the final buzzer, it was 5-2.

The loss sank the Islanders to last place in the Metro Division with a 4-4-1 record. That’s hardly an awful record, but when looking at the teams leading the division, it could be that a playoff spot is already fading into the distance.

So, it wouldn’t be the end of the world for the Islanders to miss the playoffs again. But the problem is that falling further into a hole would raise questions about the future in Long Island.

If the Isles do get stuck in the bottom portion of the Metro, would that be reason enough to begin selling pieces off?

Would a coaching change be the route?

Is there anything else that could be done?

Those questions will only increase as the Islanders fail to gain traction in the standings. That’s why November could be the month to make or break the Islanders’ season.

Islanders with chance to finish October strong

A silver lining for the Isles could be a chance to finish October strong. The Isles still have two more games this month. They’ll face two division rivals. They’ll travel to Carolina to face the Hurricanes on Thursday night and then head to DC to take on the Washington Capitals.

Those two games offer an opportunity to finish the month strong. Ideally, that could mean four points and climb out of the cellar. The point is finding a sense of urgency that can translate into solid 60-minute efforts.

All too often, we’ve seen the Islanders start games off well, but then gradually take their foot off the gas. That allows opponents to get back into games and squander leads.

So, why not make a clean break now? The Islanders have played well enough at times to suggest the team is poised for more. There’s still time to right the ship before the narrative begins to get uncomfortably close to rebuild speculation.

The Islanders aren’t on a path to rebuild. So, the time has come to make every game count.