The Islanders 2022-23 campaign is officially underway. After playing two games at home against the Florida Panthers and Anaheim Ducks, the team sits at a 1-1 record. The 3-1 loss against the Panthers was very reminiscent of a lot of the team’s losses from last season. However, the 7-1 blowout win over the Ducks restored some optimism regarding what this year’s squad could be capable of under Lane Lambert’s new direction. Here are some of the biggest takeaways from the Islanders first two results of the new season.
The Style Change Has Been Effective
Lane Lambert has been very transparent about his desire for a more aggressive offensive attack throughout the offseason. Through the first two games, the Islanders have successfully brought about that more aggressive attack. They registered 33 shots on goal against the Panthers and 38 against the Ducks. For an Islanders team that ranked towards the bottom of the league in shots last season, this is already a major improvement.
We saw this commitment to more shots on net contribute to a seven goal outburst against the Ducks, where the Islanders thoroughly controlled play in the offensive zone. But even in the Panthers loss there was a lot to like from the Islanders offense. Per Money Puck, the Islanders led the Panthers in expected goals in all situations (4.39-3.34). While the Islanders had trouble finishing their chances in this one, the metrics show that their offensive philosophy is working effectively. If they keep up this level of play in the offensive zone, the team will have more success in the goal scoring department.
Noah Dobson Picking Up Where He Left Off
Noah Dobson was one of the best stories to come out of the Islanders 2021-22 season. His 51 point performance put him on the radar as one of the best up and coming offensive defenseman in the NHL. Dobson has wasted no time becoming a quality point producer again for the Islanders. He has the team’s only power play goal through the first two games, ripping one by Bobrovsky in the opener. He also added a goal all the way from the blue line in the victory over the Ducks.
He’s tied for the team lead in goals with Scott Mayfield and Robin Salo, who both had two goal performances in the Ducks game. Dobson has already shown that last season was no fluke and that he can be a high level scoring defenseman for the team. With the team’s new direction, Dobson could be on pace for an even better offensive output than last year. The Islanders will be relying on him to be a consistent source of offense, especially on the power play unit.
Bad Discipline, Great Penalty Killing
There was a lot to like from the Islanders in their first two games of the season. However, the team has had a bad showing of discipline in these contests. They’ve racked up nine penalties already, five against the Panthers and four against the Ducks. These unforced errors can be huge momentum killers that put the team in tough situations. However, the Islanders have not been impacted by this lack of discipline.
Their PK unit has yet to let up a power play goal, going a perfect nine-for-nine in the first two games. Considering the Panthers were a top three power play team last season, preventing a power play goal on five different occasions against them was especially impressive. The PK unit was also clutch during a 5 on 3 opportunity in which the Ducks were threatening to make it a 5-2 game early in the third. The Islanders are still going to have to cut down on the penalties because eventually they will get burned. But the great team defense thus far has been a great and encouraging sign early on.
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