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GDT: GDT #74 New York Islanders @ Philadelphia Flyers | April 1st | 7:00 PM | F/4-3 OTW

scottywiper

scottywiper

Registered User
Dec 2, 2018
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It is quite mind-boggling the issues the Isles have with hitting the puck into empty nets.
Almost like they have made a conscious decision not to as it's against the spirit of the game!!! LOL
 

Chapin Landvogt

Registered User
Jul 4, 2002
20,013
6,073
Germany
IslesNorway said:
Is there any team worse in the dying minutes than the Islanders?
Click to expand...

Statistically, I can't imagine the answer is no.

Most of the bottom feeders with similar or lower win totals usually had little to play for in the waning moments of a game. Not nearly as much as the Isles, right?

The Isles have got to be the leaguewide number one in blowing third period leads - seen across the entire season.

And it goes beyond the inability to simply get the puck out of the zone when you basically have the 100% chance to do so in the final minute of a game.

In reality, several of those icings didn't need to be icings. Just a bit softer with the hands and more readiness to chip the puck higher into neutral territory could have meant the world on those late minute clears, especially the one that was called icing although Engvall was going to be the first guy on the puck.

And the "valiant" effort by Palmieri to get to that open puck he tapped by the blueliner, which would have likely been an empty netter for someone like Engvall or MacLean, only to then swipe it in a diving motion that didn't further it towards the goal, but actually hit it hard in to the corner to allow the Flyers an easier transition in the other direction while Palmieri spent 5+ seconds getting out of Philly's corner which he naturally propelled himself into, is also indicative of what has basically become a regular ineptitude when it comes to successfully completing the little, little things that decide games.

These guys can't do it. And we're talking about our long-year vets.

If I'm Palms there, my key thought is to keep that puck away from the Flyer who is charging down on me with more speed. Heck, I'm thinking of diving ONTO the puck and sliding with it under me into the corner where I then go about slowly and strategically wasting away another 10 seconds while trying to get back up, maybe even drawing a penalty if the opposing Flyer is getting too frustrated.

I know.... Hindsight is 20/20.

In essence, that point in this game was lost by allowing Sanheim to march all the way from behind his goal and up ice to lace in a 10-yard wrister over Varly's shoulder tying the game at 2 to kick off the second.

There was so much "failure" on that play, starting with Lee blowing a tire on the forecheck and Pageau not being able to slow him up enough right on up to the absolutely terrible maintenance of distance by the NYI blueliners - both of them in unison - floating back to the faceoff circles and then Varly not being out of his net far enough to have such a long-distance shot either hit him or go wide... I mean, 4 breakdowns in one play.

But then again, we could argue that "only" getting one regulation goal out of seeing a brand new Fedotov in net in the second was the real failure. I mean, we took over the game in the 2nd and the Flyers were in pure survival mode for 10+ minutes. They made plenty of mistakes in that phase of great insecurity. Barzal makes nothing of a near breakaway. Other shots didn't get placed on net.

I bet you a Tampa or Florida would have scored themselves 3+ goals in that situation.

But the whole game was a microcosm about why this ship has run its course and must be altered. It simply cannot come back constructed as is.

And sadly, the easiest pieces to replace, namely free agents Clutterbuck, Martin, Reilly, and Bortuzzo, were several of the most solid players out there whatsoever last night. Our biggest problems lie in the hard-to-move components who just aren't cutting it when it comes to getting the job done.
 
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Lek

Lek

Registered User
Nov 25, 2006
1,987
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Raleigh
They came out and once again, did not play well enough.....maybe played well the second period. Past a few players, just did not feel like most thought or played like this was THE important game.

So when, as say Barzal, do you start looking at some of the guys you play with and think to yourself, WTF?
 
PJGooch

PJGooch

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Aug 2, 2005
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IslesNorway said:
Is there any team worse in the dying minutes than the Islanders?
Click to expand...
No. I don't know what the statistics say, but there can't possibly be a team more inept with a late one-goal lead than this one.

They seem to lose 9 out of 10 D-zone faceoffs, and when they win one they ice it.
They give away the entire top third of the zone and the boards yet still manage to allow cross-ice passes and slot attempts.
When they actually get the puck, they fumble it in their skates, ice it or simply give it back to the opponent at the blue line.

It's really something to behold. It's like some sort of weird performance art. "Mankind's Struggle — When Life Pulls the Goalie."
 
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crashthenet

crashthenet

Registered User
Jul 9, 2004
5,927
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Hockey Falls
Everything else aside, what does it take to knock a guy down in front of the net with 9 seconds or less to go in a game? Hockey 101 everywhere but here. That puck goes to the net, you clear the front. Wow. I don't recall how we get to Pelech in lieu of Romanov. Wow.
 
Tres Peleches

Tres Peleches

Johnny Turncoat
Jul 13, 2011
8,411
6,764
The problem they have with the empty net is the same they have on the PK. THEY ARENT AGGRESSIVE ENOUGH

They allow all the time and space in the world to guys along the walls and at the points and they play a static defense with hardly any movement

No pressure on guys allows them to skate to open spots or allow their teammates without the puck to do so

And when they do shoot the puck by the time they can retrieve it they’re exhausted which leads to more of the same
 
IslesNorway

IslesNorway

Registered User
Apr 9, 2007
9,265
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Nittedal, Norway
PJGooch said:
No. I don't know what the statistics say, but there can't possibly be a team more inept with a late one-goal lead than this one.

They seem to lose 9 out of 10 D-zone faceoffs, and when they win one they ice it.
They give away the entire top third of the zone and the boards yet still manage to allow cross-ice passes and slot attempts.
When they actually get the puck, they fumble it in their skates, ice it or simply give it back to the opponent at the blue line.

It's really something to behold. It's like some sort of weird performance art. "Mankind's Struggle — When Life Pulls the Goalie."
Click to expand...
And it's been like this for a couple of years at least! Come the final couple of minutes or so, and you just expect the opposition to score, and it's the mindset of the players more than the coaching because it hasn't changed or improved under Roy.
 
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Tahoeblue

Registered User
Nov 29, 2019
987
581
Reno/Tahoe
Parise was skilled at gunning for the empty net if I recall. His PK and speed on the wings possibly could have helped. Not playing armchair gm here saying we should have signed him, as we can't sign everyone. Bottom line is his 21 goals were missed.
 
attilatheislander

attilatheislander

It's Mr. Chicken Little to you!
Oct 10, 2014
378
186
California
Tahoeblue said:
Parise was skilled at gunning for the empty net if I recall. His PK and speed on the wings possibly could have helped. Not playing armchair gm here saying we should have signed him, as we can't sign everyone. Bottom line is his 21 goals were missed.
Click to expand...
I had not thought of Parise in a while. The thought of him on this team with a one-year contract and Engvall sent his walking papers over the summer puts my mind in a happy place.
 
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