If there was a term that fits the Islanders, what would it be? To me, what comes to mind is topsy-turvy. For the Islanders to be successful, they have to be consistent. If they outwork the opposition, they will win. But when they play like they’re just going through the motions, they’re in trouble.
What I mean is the Eastern Conference is that loaded with some serious talent. If the Isles don’t outwork the offensive powerhouses, they will get run out of town. I promise it will spell doom if guys like Matthews, Tkachuk, and Panarin get too much space to operate.
The Islanders are gearing up for battle. The third and fourth lines have to shut down the scoring chances. The offensive players have to remember there are two parts of the game. To be fair, the secondary scoring has to step up. They can’t just rely on the top six to compete. They must play a complete game.
We know what we will get out of Barzal, Horvat, and Nelson. They will be there day in and day out. We need to know what we will get from Lee, Palmieri, and the most significant unknown, the Russian forward, Tsyplakov. If those last three meet expectations, it will go a long way toward the Islanders becoming successful.
The defense is an interesting proposition. A lot hinges on Noah Dobson leading the way—he’s got to channel that first-half energy from last season and leave the second-half struggles behind. Then there is Ryan Pulock; he needs to unleash that killer shot of his more often. I mean, shoot the puck! Ryan has a lethal weapon in his shot; he needs to use it. The others just have to do their jobs, nothing more, nothing less. And let’s hope Adam Pelech stays healthy. It would be huge for the Islanders down the stretch.
Here’s to a fun season ahead!
Randy.
No comments:
Post a Comment