New York Islanders Coming to Life With Wins Over Penguins, Capitals

NHL Power Rankings: New York Islanders center Casey Cizikas (53) and New York Islanders center John Tavares (91) celebrate after defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
NHL Power Rankings: New York Islanders center Casey Cizikas (53) and New York Islanders center John Tavares (91) celebrate after defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

New York Islanders Are Coming to Life After Grabbing Two Important Wins Against The Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals. The Unsuspected Winners Bounced Back With Two Unlikely Wins and It Can Help The Isles Turn Things Around.

New York Islanders are starting to heat up after a rocky start in 2016-17 . The Islanders haven’t had the most satisfying season and have found themselves at the bottom of the Metropolitan division. A few wins later, the Islanders finally look like they’re turning things around.

Prior to the Islanders’ last three wins, the team posted a record of 6-14, including four overtime losses. The Islanders were forming a habit of tying games and failing to capitalize in overtime.

New York now has their most consecutive wins this season. First, the Islanders came out on top in overtime against the Calgary Flames on Nov.28. Shortly after, they edged the 2nd placed Pittsburgh Penguins 5-3 and finished it up with shutout win versus Washington 3-0 on Thursday night.

Turning Things Around

The New York Islanders are scoring again. Previously, the Isles were having trouble capitalizing on their opportunities but this offensive group is now starting to find the back of the net with more frequency.

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John Tavares, Jason Chimera, and Shane Prince are only some of the forwards who have boosted their production in the last few games. The determination from the offense is making all of the difference for this team right now.

New York’s impressive victory against Pittsburgh came in the final 27 seconds of the game.  Forwards Anders Lee and Nikolay Kulemin scored goals within three seconds of each other to break the tie and capitalize on the win.

NY Islanders have been struggling to get leads and keep them but they’ve been taking better control the last few contests. The discipline and recharged energy that the Islanders are demonstrating can be a season changer for them.

Jaroslav Halak and Thomas Greiss have also been incredible in goal. Between Halak’s 38-save shutout against the Capitals and Greiss’ big saves against Calgary and Pittsburgh, these goaltenders are staying solid for their team.

The Islanders are beginning to click and if they can keep this kind of determined play up, they’ll continue to reap the benefits.

Keep It Going From Here

New York wasn’t exactly faced with the easiest of games in their last few match-ups. Since their game against Calgary, the Isles were embarking on a two-game series with 2016 President Trophy-holders and the Stanley Cup champions.

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Odds were stacked against an Islanders win but the team was determined to put their best play on display.

The challenge doesn’t stop here. New York will face host Detroit Red Wings on Dec. 4. Then, the Islanders will face two more front-runners; 1st placed in the Metropolitan and close rival, the New York Rangers and 2nd place Central Division juggernaut St. Louis Blues.

NY Islanders will need to stay on top of their game if they want to grab a few more wins. There is still plenty of time left in the season for the Isles to grab the wins they need to climb the standings but it won’t be easy.

New York will need to keep their determination high if they want to work their way back up the standings. The Metropolitan Division has several teams within just a few points of each other, therefore the Islanders will need to find their mojo and keep it if they want to stay in the mix.

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Good news is the Islanders have plenty of time and more than enough talent to turn their season around, therefore it is achievable. The Islanders’ roster is loaded with highly skilled players and the team has the drive and determination to get back on track. Therefore, if the Islanders keep playing to their strengths and stay focused, they can get where they want to be in mid-April.

The New York Islanders host the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday, Dec. 4 at 6:00 p.m. ET.