The Islanders ended October with a disappointing 3-5-2 record and a lot of question marks for the rest of the season. And while they started off November with a much-needed win over the Sabres, it came at a heavy cost with injuries mounting for a large number of key players. Old pal and former HNiNY co-host Christian Arnold jumped back behind the mic to join Sean before the Islanders-Rangers game.
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Good Morning, Islanders Country.
Given the circumstances (even though it was a loss to the hated New York Rangers), it’s unlikely you were mad or even frustrated following the Isles’ 5-2 loss on Sunday afternoon at Madison Square Garden. The Isles played severely short-handed, and when your team isn’t expected to beat a more talented opponent, you tend to look beyond the scoreboard for encouragement.
From that perspective, the Isles gave you what you wanted in that they held their own against one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference and generated enough high-quality chances playing 5-on-5 to give you hope that they’ll be able to score enough with Mathew Barzal and Anthony Duclair. The effort and work ethic were certainly there, as it’s been throughout the year and if you wanted to feel good or maybe just not that bad about yesterday’s game, to each their own.
However, the reality is that this team has scored 21 of its 27 goals in five games and just three goals in its six regulation losses. There was plenty to be concerned about BEFORE the injuries mounted, and more so now with a six-week season within a season that could determine whether there’s still a season with a chance for the postseason by the time Barzal and Duclair are back.
This team already has a small margin of error and is currently forced to skate players who need to do more than they’ve done and are being put in positions they haven’t been playing in. That will lead to mistakes, turnovers, and missed opportunities. On Sunday, the effort was there, but so was the mistakes, turnovers and missed opportunities. It’s understandable to feel good overall about Sunday’s performance, but those feelings won’t last if the results don’t change.
