NY Islanders fortunate to be treading water amid nine game scoring slump

The New York Islanders have somehow managed to keep their heads above water during a stretch that, by any offensive metric, should have sunk them.

Despite a prolonged scoring drought, the Islanders have continued to pick up points, leaning heavily on structure, goaltending and one-goal-game resilience. But the math is catching up, and it’s becoming increasingly clear this is not a sustainable formula for winning in the NHL.

Over their last nine games, the Islanders have scored just 17 goals, excluding shootout winners — an average of 1.88 goals per game. They have not scored more than two goals in regulation in any of those contests. According to team statistician Eric Hornick, it marks the first time since November–December 2021 that the Islanders have gone nine straight games held to two goals or fewer. For perspective, the team went 1-8-1 during that stretch.

“When you score two goals a game, it’s pretty tough to win,” defenseman Scott Mayfield said after the latest 7-2 loss to Utah. “I like some of the chances we had, but it’s about being a little hungrier around the net and finding those lanes.”

What has kept the Islanders afloat is elite goaltending. With Ilya Sorokin sidelined on injured reserve, David Rittich has been outstanding, giving the team a chance to win nearly every night. The Islanders have picked up nine points during this nine-game stretch, a testament to defensive commitment and timely saves — but also a warning sign. Teams that rely on goaltending perfection eventually regress.

The margins have been razor-thin. One bounce, one missed assignment, one power-play goal against has often been the difference between a point and none. That’s not a place teams want to live long term, especially in a tight Metropolitan Division race.

The Islanders’ process hasn’t been disastrous. They’ve generated looks, played responsibly, and defended well. But without more finish — without turning chances into goals — the cushion disappears. Goaltending can steal games. It cannot steal a season. If the Islanders want to turn surviving into thriving, the scoring has to come — and soon