There are other reasons but special teams sunk another NY Islanders season

You can dissect the Islanders’ season from every angle — defensive breakdowns, inconsistent scoring, injuries, or late-season pressure. All of it matters. But the clearest, most consistent reason their playoff hopes are fading comes down to one thing: special teams.

Saturday’s loss to Ottawa was the latest example.

The Islanders went 0-for-5 on the power play, surrendered a short-handed goal, and watched the Senators strike on a 5-on-3 just 58 seconds in. In a tight, low-event game, that was the difference. “They won the special teams battle,” head coach Peter DeBoer said. “It's tough to win in this league, especially this time of year if you don't win the special teams battle.”

The numbers tell the story even more clearly. The Islanders are 21-9-2 when they score at least one power-play goal, but just 22-23-3 when they don’t. They’re 30-17-1 when they keep opponents off the board on the power play, and 13-15-4 when they allow one. It’s a razor-thin margin — and they’ve been on the wrong side of it too often.

It goes even deeper.

The Islanders are 20-1-0 when they outscore opponents on special teams, but just 5-13-2 when they’re outscored. “[Power plays] are momentum-changing moments,” DeBoer said. “It doesn't always even have to score… And when they get the shorty, that's a tough one.”

That’s the reality: it’s not just about goals — it’s about momentum, and the Islanders allowed it to slip away at the worst possible time.