NY Islanders cannot let their struggling power play derail their surprising season

Sometimes a loss is about effort. Sometimes it’s about execution. And sometimes, like Wednesday night’s 3–1 defeat to the Boston Bruins, it’s about a power play that has completely lost its way.

If the New York Islanders want to make the playoffs in a stacked Eastern Conference, they cannot allow their power play to sink back to last year’s depths. Yet here we are: The Isles are now 0-for-27 with the man advantage dating back to November 13th, a stretch spanning eight games, and Wednesday’s Thanksgiving Eve matchup was the latest example of how impactful this drought is becoming.

The Islanders dominated Boston in almost every meaningful category—shots, possession, scoring chances. Jeremy Swayman stole the game with 44 saves. But the story of the night was the same one that had been quietly building for two weeks: four more power plays, zero goals, and one absolutely crushing shorthanded dagger.

Midway through the third, trailing 2–1 and finally with a chance to tie the game, the Isles’ beleaguered unit misfired again. Matthew Schaefer’s errant pass sprung a Bruins 2-on-1, and Alex Steeves buried his second of the night, short-handed, at 10:21. Game over. The crowd deflated. Another reminder that a sputtering power play can undo an entire night of otherwise excellent hockey.

Patrick Roy didn’t sugarcoat it afterwards: “Our entries were a little too cute. We tried to force plays. When we did get in, we had looks, but we need better shots on net… we have to bear down.” Kyle Palmieri echoed him, insisting the group doesn’t need to reinvent anything—but also admitting the goals simply aren’t coming. “We’re moving it well, we’re getting set up… but it’s not going in.”

Anders Lee echoed the same sentiment. "Our power play was the difference tonight," Lee said. "We needed to get one, needed to get one on the power play tonight to get us closer." That didn't happen, and is what puts the fact that the Isles played an overall solid game squarely in the background.

That’s the problem. The Isles’ 5-on-5 game is strong. Their defensive structure and goaltending have been the best they’ve been in years. But a playoff team cannot be dead last in power-play efficiency for months at a time, not in the modern NHL.

Wednesday wasn’t a disaster. It was a warning shot. If the Islanders don’t fix their power play, it won’t matter how well they play at even strength.

A playoff berth may depend on it.