UNIONDALE, N.Y. — On most nights after an Islander win, the sounds of Magic in the Hamptons can be heard from the team’s dressing room. While Uniondale and Brooklyn are a far cry from the glitzy Hamptons, there has been plenty of magic in both places when it comes to the Islanders.
In a year that the Islanders weren’t expected to do much, the scrappy group led by general manager Lou Lamoriello and head coach Barry Trotz has become one of the hottest teams in the NHL. Their latest accomplishment: a 3-0 shutout win over the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday and a three-point hold on first place in the Metropolitan Division.
There have been some growing pains along the way this season, but the Islanders have given plenty of reasons why they should be taken seriously. Winners of 15 of their last 18 games, the Islanders have beaten some of the NHL’s best over that stretch.
5 straight wins
2 straight shutouts
1st place#Isles pic.twitter.com/SB7EfbsNux— MSG Networks (@MSGNetworks) January 20, 2019
They were a week removed from a dominating 5-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday. They defeated the defending Stanley Cup Champion Washington Capitals on Friday.
They’ve defeated the likes of the Toronto Maple Leafs and St. Louis Blues. The Islanders have won games with strong performances in some outings and outright stole points in others.
“This is probably some of the most fun I’ve had playing hockey,” Ryan Pulock said on Sunday. “Going into every game, every night we’ve got a good chance to win if we play the right way. Just coming back to this building and the atmosphere, and the fans are into it. They’re enjoying this little run here, so it’s a lot of fun playing.”
The Islanders were treated to a hero’s welcome in their first home date since overtaking the Capitals for first place in their division, a feat that was not even fathomed by most NHL experts.
First-place Islanders was the rallying cry for most of the afternoon contest. From an electronic sign in the parking lot of the Nassau Coliseum to the constant chants throughout the Islanders’ dominating win, the mantra dominated the afternoon.
Even as head coach Barry Trotz spoke during his postgame press conference, the chants on the concourse were audible in the makeshift media workroom at the Coliseum.
[lawrence-related id=873595]“We have a lot of confidence right now,” said Leo Komarov, who scored against Anaheim. “We’re playing good and just need to work. It’s all about that.”
What’s been so incredible about the Islanders turnaround has been the expediency of it. The Islanders defense has been immensely improved over last season and the goaltending tandem of Robin Lehner and Thomas Greiss has been one of the best in the league.
Lehner’s 2.02 goals against average is the best in the NHL and his .930 save percentages is second best in the league. Thomas Greiss in the top 10 in both categories.
“When you have both of them going you get the results,” Anaheim goaltender Chad Johnson said about Lehner and Greiss. “Both of their guys really, you see the numbers that they have and the team didn’t give up more than 20 shots in back to back nights over there. They’re playing well in front of both of their guys and it helps as a goaltender.”
[protected-iframe id=”69344928dbecbe3f9d979dfa9c3c7f5c-142507471-9559664″ info=”https://www.nhl.com/video/embed/lehners-19-save-shutout/t-300042778/c-65116103?autostart=false” width=”540″ height=”315″]And the players in front of Lehner and Greiss have done their part, limiting the number of shots an opponent has been able to put on net. The Islanders have held their opponents to fewer than 20 shots in three consecutive games, something they haven’t done since the 1977-78 season.
Goals have come very far and few between for Islander opponents as well. The Islanders have surrendered just three goals over their last five games. Cal Clutterbuck has singlehandedly outscored opponents during that stretch.
The Islanders also possess the league’s lowest goals against average at 2.32.
“That’s just been a trend for a while now,” Clutterbuck said about the Islanders strong defense. “I think we defend hard and make it hard for teams to break out. When those teams make mistakes we capitalize. We don’t capitalize every time, but we give ourselves enough looks that we’ve got enough to win and our goalies are doing a great job of keeping it out when we do get breakdowns.”
"This is a special group of guys. It always has been. People are seeing a little bit of what we're capable of." #Isles pic.twitter.com/oJCvk46AlT
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) January 20, 2019
The true magician of it all has been Trotz, who has come in an installed his structure to impressive results. Trotz had been known as a defensive style coach and it has shown with the turnaround of what had been one of the worst defensive teams in the league last year.
Trotz has steered clear of trying to take full credit for the Islanders success this year, even as the fans chanted his name on Sunday.
“It’s very nice and appreciated, but we do everything together,” Trotz said. “I’ve got a really good staff. We’ve got really good players and we’re playing together. That’s very kind of them, but we’re all Islanders. That’s all we are.”
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