Exactly one week from today, the New York Islanders will be preparing to play game one of their first-round playoff series against a still-to-be-determined opponent. It is looking more likely that will be the powerful Pittsburgh Penguins (71.5% chance per sportsclubstats) with an outside chance it could be the Carolina Hurricanes (17.6%). Either way, New York is entering the postseason with a ridiculously bad power-play (14.8%) that has only tallied 33 times all season.
When you can roll out Mathew Barzal, Anders Lee, Brock Nelson, Jordan Eberle and Devon Toews, you expect it to be better. Much better. But too often, those five combine to sit stationary, passing the puck around the perimeter, unwilling to get pucks to the net, where there would be a chance of a multitude of outcomes.
When the playoffs start, officials tend to bury their whistles, for the most part, choosing to only call the most outrageous of infractions, letting teams settle it their way. At 5-on-5, the Islanders are fine and more than likely match up very well with any number of teams in this tournament not named Boston or Tampa. New York has ridden an extremely high (and some would say lucky) save percentage to get where they are. At 92.3%, they are way above the league average of 90.5%. But, even if you get one or two chances on the man advantage, the playoffs are when you must convert. You just must.
Can they turn it around? History tells us that it's possible, though unlikely. The Los Angeles Kings are a good example. In 2013-14, they entered the playoffs converting at only 14.8% during the regular season but upped that to 23.5% when the real games started. The Bruins in 2013 and Rangers in 2014 showed that you can go far without an effective power-play, but they're more aberrations than a trend.
Conversion rate is not the catchphrase, opportunistic is. Over the Islanders past 20 games, they have scored an astoundingly low three goals on the man advantage. In 17 of those games, they produced a donut. Three for 46 (0.06%) is not optimal for any team that plans on challenging for a Stanley Cup. However, they have produced a goal up a man in two of their past three games, and those singular tallies could be all they need starting next week. Those singular conversions, even if you go a stuttering one-for-six, could be the difference in a 3-2 playoff game that turns the tide of an entire series.
In today's world, there needs to be a finger pointed. At someone. At everything. Most of the Twitter outrage has collectively wagged their middle fingers at Scott Gomez, one of Barry Trotz's bench coaches, and the one in charge of planning the power play. Planning... which is much different from running or executing. If we break it down into its simplest form, when audio airs of Gomez telling the Islanders most skilled players to dance around the edge endlessly, refusing to throw pucks towards the net and trying backdoor passes that have a very low success rate, I will be right there at your side.
Until then, I put the blame where I believe it should be… on the players. The ones on the ice who are paid ludicrous amounts of money to produce. I realize you can't get rid of them all and the easiest target will always be the one who is easiest to replace. Still might not make it right.
Dal Colle's big chance
Not sure what made this off-season different for Michael Dal Colle than previous ones. Maybe he realized his chance of becoming an NHL regular was slipping away. Maybe he realized he had to work harder, be more determined. Whatever it was, it worked.
A reborn Dal Colle produced 18-16-34 in 34 games for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers this season and did everything he was asked, without questioning the process. He waited patiently and has taken advantage of his opportunities. For that, he will be rewarded by playing in the Stanley Cup playoffs for a team that was written off six short months ago right along with him.
His stats are not flashy as he has played mostly on the third line, devoid of any of the Islanders skill players, but he has done a lot with his 12:05 average ice time. His skating has improved by leaps and bounds and he is always noticeable on the forecheck. He seems to understand that planting his big body in front of the opposing goaltender is a good recipe for success on screens, tips and rebounds. How many Islanders forwards not named Anders Lee even know what color the crease is?
At 5-on-5, only Joshua Ho-Sang (in 10 games) and Devon Toews have a better Corsi for percentage than Dal Colle's 52.2%. With only 10 giveaways in 27 games, he is doing a much better job in protecting the puck and helping New York drive some possession.
In the postseason, it's always the unknowns who step up and steal the spotlight as checking on the stars (Barzal) gets even tighter than it's been the past three weeks or so. That means the Dal Colles, the Komarovs, the BFLIH better be prepared to play an even larger role than they already have.
Follow Andy on Twitter: @AndyGraz_WFAN
