The New York Islanders did something against the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday they hadn’t done in the previous six games: They scored a power-play goal. It came in the third period and ended up making the difference as the Islanders clawed to a 2-1 victory in a game they needed to win.
They followed up that power-play goal with another one in the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets and with the unit turning a corner, the team has followed suit. A three-game winning streak has the Islanders in a playoff spot with a 34-27-15 record and they are on pace to close out the season as one of the wild card teams.
The power play has been awful in recent weeks, scoring only three goals in the last 28 opportunities. What makes the unit’s flop all the more surprising is that it was a strength earlier in the season and one of the best in the NHL. A hapless power play has set the team back and if the Islanders hope to make the playoffs, they must improve. The Islanders have skaters who can turn things around and help them finish the regular season strong; fixing the power play should be a straightforward task for the coaching staff.
Dobson Operating The Point
Noah Dobson‘s disappearance on the power play has been noticeable. In the past 18 games, he has only one point on the man advantage, as he added an assist in the March 16 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators. For him to fall off the map is surprising considering the type of season he’s having as he’s putting together offensive totals Islanders not seen since Denis Potvin (which considering how long ago that was, not many fans have seen.)
Related: Bo Horvat Scores 30th Goal of Season, 500th Point of Career
Dobson can make a significant difference and help create scoring chances for the forwards. He has 23 of his team-leading 58 assists on the man advantage and he can both get the puck on the net and find open skaters. Dobson’s emerged as the team’s top two-way defenseman and it makes him a valuable asset on the power play.
It’s not just his play from the point. Dobson, the Islanders’ best puck-handling defenseman, can move the puck up the ice and into the offensive zone to help set up the power play, something the Islanders struggled to do. Dobson’s an integral part of the team’s success and the power play improvements will start with him.
Roy’s Change in Mindset
Former head coach Lane Lambert deserves a lot of blame for the Islanders becoming a mess by midseason. They played with no structure,…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at The Hockey Writers…