Sign up for the new Hockey Night in New York Patreon at patreon.com/hockeynightny and get 40% off your first month with promo code “ISLESFIX”
Good Morning, Islanders Country.
I’ve been thinking about what it would take to feel differently about this team.
I’m not talking about the long-term outlook. I’m talking about when you turn on the TV (for those who don’t have Optimum) and settle in to watch your hockey team and feel a tinge of excitement. It’s something you look forward to during the day. You’re not watching due to obligation. You’re watching because you enjoy it.
Patrick Roy had the same thought as me. “It sucks what I’m going to say, but we need that winning streak…Ottawa got a winning streak. They were back in the picture. Montreal is having one. They're back in the picture.”
He’s right, and I’m a sucker for a good winning streak.
Win three in a row, go NHL.com, head to the standings tab, and you’ll see the Islanders bypassing several teams to be either in or out of a playoff spot. You’ll start to feel better. Win more than that, and you may even be inclined to buy tickets to a home game and build your schedule around when the team plays.
It’s hard to go an entire season without a winning streak, but the Islanders are halfway to that point. Through 40 games, they haven’t won three in a row all season. They’ll need players to break out of slumps, stars to find their games, depth players to contribute, and most importantly, some luck.
