URGENT: Bo Horvat, Ilya Sorokin & the Islanders BATTLE to FIX 60-Minute Game Inconsistency

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The New York Islanders inability to play a complete 60-minute game

could cost them dearly down the stretch.

We'll talk about the reasons for it.

Possible fixes and whether they can fix it before it costs them a playoff bird.

Coming up.

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I'm Gil Martin, I've been covering the New York Islanders for two decades

and I wrote the book Ice Wars of the history of the Islanders rivalry

with the Rangers from 1972 till the modern era.

So glad you could join us today to talk a little Islanders hockey

and we have got plenty to get to.

We're going to start with the Islanders inconsistent effort.

Their inability to play a complete 60 minute game will break down some possible causes,

some possible fixes and how this could maybe even cost them a playoff birth.

We'll talk about both games over the weekend or hero and goats of the game

and of course our key takeaways from the weekend split.

And we'll have our Islanders birthday of the day.

Let's start with the lack of consistency.

And to say it's been frustrating for this team is an understatement.

But let's look at what happened this past weekend

because I think it spoke volumes about where this team is at.

Friday night Islanders facing the LA Kings.

Islanders don't show up right when the puck is dropped

for what seems like the first for like the fifth or sixth time in the last seven games.

They fall behind to nothing or in this case, three nothing.

They then wake up.

Come back into the game, make it three to two, dominate the third period,

but cannot finish the job and end up losing a game that they possibly should have won.

And then you have the exact flip side on Saturday against the Calgary Flames.

The Islanders come out smoking and if you follow me on X, you know I said before the game.

The Islanders need to get off to a fast start because they are coming off a back to back.

The Flames are coming off an extra days rest and a fast start will be important.

Well, the Islanders get off to the fast start.

They score in this game.

The first three goals and then hold on desperately for a three to two win.

As in the third period, it's all Flames.

But regardless what these two games have in common and what we've seen.

I think pretty much in every game since the Olympic break is that the Islanders play well for part of the game.

And absolutely fall apart for part of the game.

Now more frequently it's been slow starts strong finishes, but you know against the Flames we saw strong start fade away finish.

But ultimately the Islanders have yet to put together a 60 minute game.

And here's what Emil Heinemann had to say about this slow start against the LA Kings.

We have to acknowledge the point of time we're in in the season here.

How important these games are to not be ready when the puck drops is not good enough.

And then Bohorvat, we can't keep putting ourselves in that position.

It physically and mentally wears on you.

There are a few reasons why I think this team continues to find itself in this predicament where they are able to put together a good period or two periods.

But find themselves absolutely behind the eight ball in part of the game and it's enough of a part of the game where they really have to play desperate catch up to get a point or two or they fall short and they lose all together with zero points, you know a loss in regulation.

And I think part of it has to come down to coaching and leadership and I hate to say this because obviously this team has exceeded expectations this year without a doubt.

If you would have told me at the start of the season that the Islanders would have 81 points at this stage of the year as we head into the middle of March here we're right in the middle of the month.

One month left roughly in the season and this team is in the playoffs if the season ended now I think on October 1st almost all Islander fans would have eagerly and enthusiastically signed up for that based on what preseason expectations were.

And you would think this is a veteran team I mean according to post trade deadline this is the fourth oldest roster in the national hockey league.

We are not talking about with the exception of Matthew Schaefer and Cal Richie a bunch of inexperienced kids these this team is chock full of older players who have been there and done that.

But why are these older guys who have been there and done that not able to be ready when the puck drops or if they get up to a lead like we saw on Saturday.

Why do they fade and allow the other team or not allow but why are they dominated so frequently by the other team and look I am not saying that this should never happen.

I am not saying that the Islanders should be dominating 60 minutes every game for 82 games.

You're going to be outplayed for two minute stretches five minute stretches a period half a period whatever it is there are going to be times when the other team out plays you but it shouldn't be that it looks like your team is a no show.

I have to put this question out there is the constant line juggling by Patrick law a cause of this consistency problem or a byproduct of the consistency problem is the fact that the line combinations don't stay together very long causing the islanders to stumble at times as Patrick law is constantly putting his lines in a blender.

And coming up with new combinations or is he desperately trying to fix a problem because the team is inconsistent and I think ultimately it may be a talent issue in some ways that if you look at the numbers with this team with the power play struggling the way it is 30th in the lead with the islander.

With the islanders 19th in the league in goals scored and that's even after a little recent uptick in goals.

The islanders leading the NHL still in high danger chances allowed and every day or as you'll remember just last week we talked about how amazing Ilya Sirokin has been to have the islanders in the top five and goals against despite the fact that the team leads league in high danger chances allowed.

I think all of these things are factors the lack of consistency with the line combinations and overall lack of depth and talent and I think leadership and coaching I don't think you can here is a team with Anders Lee who has been a captain in this league for this team for a long time.

You have Bo Horvat who was captain on the conunds you now added braiding shed who was just recently captain of the blues that's three veteran captains on this roster.

Why is this still happening is leadership in spite of the impressive resume that those three guys bring to the table.

Part of the problem and is part of this on Patrick Waugh for not having his team ready to play with urgency you would think that a veteran group like this knows wow we're in the middle of a playoff hunt the other teams were battling for playoff position.

Are also playing and we have no margin for error the puck drops and we have to be ready we have to be aggressive we have to play our game and yet game after game after game we do not see that translate on to the ice and again I don't expect the team to dominate every minute of every game.

But I do expect the effort to be there that when the puck drops for a 705 or 710 face off that at 710 the islanders are ready to play and give their all from the opening puck drop to the closing puck drop to the final buzzer it has to be that's what a winning team does.

And if you look at the standings right now in the eastern conference and in the metropolitan division even with the win over Calgary the New York Islanders are not guaranteed anything right now.

I mean they are tied for third second place in the metro with 81 points although Pittsburgh now again has a game in hand but Columbus which has a game in hand on the islanders is two points back Ottawa with two games in hand on the islanders is six points back Philadelphia a game in hand on the islanders seven points back.

Boston and Detroit right now hold the two wild cards there one point behind the islanders so it is going to be a race to the finish and the islanders have 15 games left on their schedule.

They have got to play consistent hockey if you want to be a playoff team a legitimate playoff team you've got to give a 60 minute or in the case of an overtime or shootout game 65 minute plus of effort.

You may not always outplay the other team but you've got to be ready you've got to play consistently inconsistent teams by definition stumble and we've seen this team do that we've seen them go on nice winning streaks and then you know one three and one or one and four you know slumps where they just look bad for a few games or within a game like we saw over the weekend.

A couple of good periods in a bad period against Calgary a bad period of an okay period and a really good period against the Kings.

You might be able to get away with that against teams that are on the outside looking in but if you want to get to the playoffs you've got to be more consistent and once you get into the playoffs.

When you're only facing better teams that consistency has to be there so it is now up to Patrick Waugh I will say it this way 15 games left you've had 67 games to try to figure out line combinations if you want to say okay since the trade deadline a few things have changed fine but you also had more than five games.

Since the Olympic break and you've had what three or four games since the trade deadline and you've got to you've got to know your guys well enough to put together line combinations that work because like I said there's very little margin for error.

I love what this team has accomplished so far this year I'm excited by what I've seen but now it's time to gel the old adage you want to be playing your best hockey in you know April and beyond well when you're in a playoff race as tight as this that starts now let's face it these games these last 15 games they're almost playoff games.

And if you don't win most of them you will be watching the playoffs along with the rest of us when late April comes around let's hope that the islanders players coaches and and you know front office can figure out how to fix this problem which has dodged them all year long.

I we've got a lot more to get you will have our key takeaways from this weekend split against L.A. and Calgary are heroes and goats of the game and for our islanders birthday of the day we have a member of a famous brother group from biking Alberta was a first round pick of the islanders in 1979.

Family easy one let's see if you can guess who this member the islanders dynasty teams was or is we've got that and more next on today's locked on islanders podcast.

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Let's start with Friday night against the kings it was a frustrating game to say the least and let's give credit first where credit is due.

And that is on Jay copatar who scored a big goal this was probably 99.9% most likely the last time the islanders will see him.

He obviously is retiring at the end of the year and the only way the islanders could face copatar in the playoffs is if the two teams meet in the Stanley Cup final the Kings are right now on the outside looking in in the playoff race so that's not likely but what a great career copatars had and I have to give him credit as far as the islanders effort was concerned that slow start absolutely doomed them.

And giving up three goals in the first period is not a recipe for success and to their credit again the islanders showed that resilience.

And to his credit I have to say this and and there are people who are going to disagree but I think you're so broken played exceptionally well I don't think any of the three goals he gave up would be considered his fault or be softies they were just absolutely terrible defensive breakdowns by this team and coverage too many odd man rushes again allowing all those high danger chances.

And then the islanders come back and get you know two goals by Emil Heinem in one in the second one in the third in the third period it's all islanders they're putting on all kinds of pressure but they could not find a way to beat Darcy Kemper a third time and they end up losing the hockey game.

And the defensive breakdowns were just not acceptable and you know we we in the first segment we pulled out that quote from Emil Heinemann and Bohorvat you know saying it wears on you when you fall behind like this and have to come back here's well I'll spell out exactly how it wears on you look at the ice time if you go back and look at that box score.

From Friday night's game. The fourth line which was Sezikus Shabanov and Gatka. Gatka was only on the ice for six minutes and twenty seconds he still had four hits.

Shabanov was on the ice for seven minutes and twelve seconds Sezikus because he kills penalties on for a little more at eight thirty eight.

Andre Palat nine minutes and fifty seconds and then you go up top twenty almost twenty five minutes for Matthew bars all twenty three and a half minutes plus for Bohorvat.

18 minutes for Pajot 18 almost 17 and a half plus for Shen you start using your top players or overusing them and remember this was a game where the islanders are coming to play the next night they have a back to back on defense shape for twenty nine minutes and twenty four seconds.

24 minutes plus for Pellak 22 and a half almost for Polak the Angelo 20 minutes and then your third pair Mayfield and Suzy nine twenty seven for Mayfield nine eleven for Suzy.

You you start to overuse your best players and you know what okay it's going to happen occasionally you're going to have to deal with occasionally you're going to have a slow start and you've got to do.

You start and you've got to come back but when your team has those slow starts four games in a row or five games out of six and you have to overuse your best players or start your starting goalie for four five games in a row.

It does take a toll on their productivity and that's one of the big reasons I said prior to the game Saturday that the islanders had to get off to a good start because I knew a lot of their best players were being overused on Friday.

Add that to a back to back and it can be a big problem so ultimately that is something that wears you down and you you have that happen over time it really can cost you games that you could or should win.

Hero and go of the game the hero has got to be a male Heinemann I mean I think you'll use a broken gets some consideration but Heinemann with his two goals is the hero of the game in my mind and then the go to the game is that this team was not ready to start from the opening face off and again you cannot put yourself in that position on a regular basis.

And hope to continue to win it was just one of those very frustrating situations and the third period was amazing the way this team played but it's got to be you got to be ready from the opening face off and this team just wasn't there.

Alright we've got more to get to on today show we'll talk about the big win over the flames on Saturday our hero and go to that game or key takeaways plus if you guessed our islanders birthday of the day yet we'll have that as well coming up on today's locked on islanders podcast.

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The game Saturday definitely a better effort by the New York Islanders and they got off to a great start I mean just dominated that first period David Riddick was outstanding in goal giving him a lot of credit for his performance and two goals by Simon homestrom that really helped get this team going and.

Homey was great I mean the hustle he showed especially on the second goal but really on both of them was outstanding no doubt homestrom was our hero of the game and go to the game is is again to me the let down in the third period that just allowed the flames to almost tie the contest.

And it's very very frustrating again with these uneven efforts but getting off to that fast start was critical under the circumstances and one other thing you notice until the third period at least you had a much more balanced lineup as far as ice time goes on defense for example.

Carson sushi 15 minutes Scott may feel 17 minutes Matthew Schaefer led the defense with 22 minutes and six seconds of ice time there is a big difference Palat McLean and Sezekus were the third a fourth line and I love Palat on the fourth line I think he's a much better fit either on the third or fourth line then in the top six and every day as you know I've been saying that since they acquired him really but.

You know that seemed to be a solid fourth line McLean did a good job on the four check for sure help set up one of the goals that Sezekus ended up scoring but overall more balanced in the time on ice and that is something you can do when you take an early three nothing lead and it certainly may have been a factor in this team being able to hold on.

And earn the win it was almost a must win and I give the islanders credit you know I open the show talking about inconsistent effort and not being ready to play at the drop of the.

Opening face off it's played the islanders since the Olympic break against the flame Saturday they were ready from the opening minute and that was key but then you have the third period fall out and again it's the back end that is the

problem rather than the beginning but you need to straighten out that consistency but a good performance a big win almost a must win and they got it and again it speaks to this team's resilience and to this team's attitude about never say die but you just wish they wouldn't get into those must win situations as often as they put themselves there.

And now for our islanders birthday of the day and tomorrow rather today is the 66th birthday of former islanders Winger Dwayne Sutter the Viking Albertan native of one of the famous Sutter brothers first round pick of the islanders in 1979 17th overall after a very impressive.

Junior career with the left bridge Broncos join the islanders in 79 80 and was a member of all four Stanley Cup winning teams.

Was dealt to the black hawks before the 87 88 season played three years in Chicago and finishes NHL career there played in 731 NHL games 139 goals 342 points 1333 penalty minutes add 26 goals 58 points in.

161 playoff games and add 405 penalty minutes you know the islanders.

I'll even put it to you this way a player like Dwayne Sutter who can give you 15 to 20 goals a year who can be responsible defensively and who can dig for pucks in the corners and be physical when he needs to be.

The islanders don't need a goon right now but a player like a Dwayne Sutter would be a great fit for the islanders alright one of his better games is an islander we go back to April 15 1983 Patrick division finals in the playoffs islanders with a one nothing lead in the series this is game to at the Nassau Colosseum against the Rangers blend handling the Rangers goalie Billy Smith of course the islanders goalie.

And after John Tonelli gets the islanders on the board with less than a minute into the game our islanders birthday of the day Dwayne Sutter takes over and gets the islanders a two nothing lead Tom laid law in the penalty box and Sutter scores Tomos Johnson with the only assist that makes it to nothing Dwayne Sutter strikes again in the closing four and a half minutes of the period.

Bob born the only assist that made it three nothing islanders and then in the second period again on the power play Rick Chartra off for charging and Dennis potman and Bob born set up Brent Brent Sutter but then Dwayne Sutter finishes his hat trick late in the period Brent Sutter and Bob born assist him and the islanders go on to coast to a five nothing win.

Three assists for Bob born in this game but for our islanders birthday of the day Dwayne Sutter he had three goals he was a plus two he had five shots on goal and he helped the islanders Billy Smith a 23 save shutout so Dwayne Sutter one of the famous Sutter brothers is our islanders birthday of the day.

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So join me for a little instant insight and analysis and it's great to talk islanders hockey with you game time or anytime.

Every day is we are back tomorrow the islanders will be in action will preview their game in Toronto as they kick off an eastern Canada three game road trip this week Tuesday against Toronto Thursday in Ottawa and Saturday in Montreal that will be huge for the islanders the last big road trip of the year so join us for that.

Until then have a great day everybody stay safe and of course let's go islanders.