3 reasons the NY Islanders defense deserves more credit for recent resurgence

Less than 30 shots on goal in the last 5 games.

When looking at box scores from teams around the NHL, the goaltending statistics are always one to look at. This stat line essentially tells the story of how well a goalie performed in conjunction with how much they were asked to do. In representation, the line reads 'saves, save opportunities, and save percentage'.

As Islanders fans, we have become accustomed to seeing Ilya Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov have the number '40' typed in under save opportunities, meaning the opposition had 40 shots on goal. Under Lambert, the defensemen were being asked to focus more on offense and playback in front of the net. This style of defense gives more opportunity for the opposition to set up in the offensive zone and create a great shot attempt. Thus, the Islanders goaltenders were essentially hung out to dry.

Under Roy's '2-on-1' system, the Islanders defensemen have been more proactive as the opposition crosses the blue line. They have begun forechecking in the neutral zone, which slows the opportunity and an odd-man rush. As the puck crosses into the defensive zone, the defensemen are going directly after the puck instead of waiting for a shot to come near the crease. This system prohibits the opposition a chance at setting up a clean scoring opportunity, which has in turn protected Sorokin and Varlamov from having to make 40 saves to win a game.

65 blocked shots in the last 6 games.

The '2-on-1' system instituted by Roy is not only designed to prohibit puck movement across the blue line. In every hockey game, both teams will find a scoring opportunity no matter how aggressive the defense is in the neutral zone. The goaltender will have to make saves at some point with the desire to limit breakaway and odd-man rush advantages. To state the obvious, no team will ever play 82 games without scoring a goal or giving one up past the red line.

In best preventing the puck from even reaching the goaltender, the forwards, and defensemen are asked to block passes and shots from the blue line. Regardless of the name on the back of a jersey or the importance to the team, hockey players will take a beating to protect their goaltenders. After blocking a 95 MPH shot, the player is right back on the ice. That is why we love watching every game. The Isles' defensemen have done this in stride, blocking an unfathomable 65 shots from Sorokin and Varlamov. Combined with having one of the best goalie combinations in hockey, the Islanders have only allowed 11 goals in the last 6 games.