Islanders: What went right?

Mr. Trotz knows what he is doing, doesn't he? A significant influence on the kids. So what have the Islanders done right?

Defensive responsibility

Right now, the Islanders are the most defensively coached team in the league. Each of the defencemen thinks defence first. They use their bodies and their size. They play the man and not the puck. They never stop skating. They don't give up on the play. Finally, the most significant quality is that they know when to pinch. It is a great art to know when to pinch and when not to. 

Forwards 

A significant key for the Islanders is that the forwards realize that defence is a team game. They come back to fill the gaps. They take their man and stick to him like glue. Most of all, they give the defencemen a target to pass the puck to. This is huge. The defence needs help. 

Defence is a team game. 

The big players came through

Where would this team be right now without Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Anthony Beauvillier? 

The Barzal and Lee and Ebs line came together. They have been successful because they are skating. They are working with the puck. Their passes are crisp. They are solid defensively. If they continue, the Islanders' potential will be unlimited. 

Randy