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Good Morning, Islanders Country.
It all starts with the face-off.
Winning face-offs is a sometimes overlooked, often underappreciated part of the game, especially considering that they set the tone of a play and directly influence a team’s control over the game. For all their shortfalls, the Islanders have been a strong possession team this season and are ranked 7th in Corsi For (CF) at all strengths, and a big reason for this is their success in the face-off circle.
The Isles are the best face-off team in the NHL entering tonight, winning 55.3% of all draws. For a team that struggles on the penalty kill and when playing 5-on-6, winning draws is not a luxury; it’s necessary in critical situations.
For each of the last 14 games, the Islanders have won more face-offs than they lost, a franchise record. Tonight, they will attempt to be the 10th team in NHL history to do it for a 10th consecutive game.
JG Pageau leads the way with a 61.2% winning percentage (120 of 196), followed by fourth-liner Kyle MacLean at 58.2% (71 of 112). MacLean spoke about improving at the dot during training camp given his new responsibilities and has indeed plucked tips of the trade from his teammates. Second-line center Brock Nelson is at 55.0% (132 of 240), and Bo Horvat has a strong 53.7% (122 of 227).
