Islanders Punked by Canes (Again): Time for Change

The Carolina Hurricanes (20-10-1) manhandled the New York Islanders (12-14-7) in Raleigh on Tuesday night. The score finished 4-0. It never felt close. It’s yet another harsh reminder that these Islanders are not going anywhere as currently constructed. They’re fatally flawed, no matter how hard they work and grind.

The Game Recap:

The team is listless. I could go through each goal and explain how the once anemic and now utterly lifeless penalty kill can’t get a timely kill. Eight straight games allowing at least one power-play goal. That’s how Carolina got on the board, with Andrei Svechnikov scoring his third power-play goal against the Islanders this season.

The goal leaked through Ilya Sorokin. The goal continues his recent downward dip of looking like a goalie who’s started nine straight games. Sorokin got pulled for the second time in 12 days. They work hard, but they get beat anyway.

Noah Dobson knew exactly where Jordan Martinook was on the second ‘Canes goal, yet it didn’t matter. The rebound kicked right out to the sticks of Dobson and Martinook- guess who won the battle. Ditto for Casey Cizikas, who couldn’t contain the likes of Tyson Jost from bearing down and knocking the rebound home.

Then, the final humiliation: Dennis Cholowski lost the puck in the neutral zone, springing Sebastian Aho and Eric Robinson on a two-on-one. Aho and Robinson played catch there, sending Adam Pelech and Sorokin twisting and turning as the Hurricanes surged to a 4-0 lead before the second ended.

The offense had some looks, but when the two best chances you get in the first 40 minutes come off the stick of Hudson Fasching, it says it all.

Bo Horvat returned from injury, but he became a total non-factor. In a season chock-full of the “worst losses of the year,” this one felt the most humiliating. After all, the team beat them in the playoffs the last two years running. It’s their own boogeyman, and they usually are competitive.

Not tonight. Pytor Kochetkov recorded his first shutout of the year. He stopped 32 shots headed his way. He made some nice saves in the third, but the game was already over.

Now What?

Something has to change. Every time it seems they’ll turn the corner, the Islanders sputter and sink lower. Now, they’re seventh in the Metropolitan Division. They’re 12-14-7 through 33 games. That’s their worst mark through 33 games since the 2013-14 season (stat courtesy of Arthur Staple).

It’s not working. Yes, there have been several injuries. That doesn’t change the reality that’s setting in, which is quite simple: This team is not good enough. Pelech and Mathew Barzal haven’t changed a thing about it in their first two games back.

Even at full strength- does anyone think the Islanders will suddenly solve their penalty kill, something plaguing them over two coaches now? The Islanders installed Assistant Coach Tommy Albelin, a presumed Lou Lamoriello installation, to solve the penalty kill. Through 33 games, the penalty kill is on a record-breakingly bad pace. Meanwhile, Assistant Coach John MacLean’s power play also sits at the bottom of the NHL.

Anthony Duclair seems to be a safe bet to return ahead of Saturday’s game in Toronto. To do so, the Islanders have to get compliant with the cap. Pierre Engvall will likely get demoted to the AHL and shift Mike Reilly to long-term injured reserve. Perhaps even Semyon Varlamov finds himself on that same list.

The immediate future is foggy- they can turn it around. But the season is already 40% done. Rumors about pending UFA’s Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri are only going to intensify. Decisions have to be made, and there’s one profound question that has to start it all:

Is Lou Lamoriello, the current team president and general manager, the man to do the job?

Three Days Off?

There are three full days off before the Islanders’ next game. While a move of that magnitude is unlikely, I would not be surprised to see a surprise player hit waivers. Maybe it’s Cholowski or a still-struggling Kyle MacLean.

Time evades no man. This spring will mark four years since the Islanders last won a playoff series. That’s a long time for any one core to stay together in any sport- especially one that, in the grand scheme of things, hasn’t even come close to competing since that very spring.

The team is older, slower, and more mediocre than ever. While they truly do still win many nights at even strength, that alone doesn’t make them a winning hockey team. Nor does it change the current outlook for the 24th-placed Islanders.

The rosters freeze Friday at midnight for Christmas. Let’s see if the team makes any surprising moves or just buys more time by activating Anthony Duclair and trying to let this core figure it out.