Well, at least the York Islanders are playing .500 hockey, despite the four-game winless streak.

Well, at least the New York Islanders are playing .500 hockey, despite the four-game winless streak.

That's .500 over the season so far,  (And the coffee had better be hot as you read on, my friends.)

The 4-1 (including open-netter) loss last night to Washington at UBS Arena means that the Orange and Blue need a brake job in a hurry to stop the skid.

It's 0-3-1 and counting with a four-game Western road trip starting tomorrow at Edmonton.

Now, let's face it and be fair to the Elmonters. For the most part they played a swell two-thirds of a game. 

1. They got a 1-1 tying goal from defenseman Alex Romaov. ("Their goalie was out of position and I saw the empty net and just put it in.")

2.  They enjoyed a dominating first period; one of their best so far.

3.  They never gave up; outshooting the Caps 16-6 in the final frame.

4. Overall they outshot the winners 37-28.

But -- in the end -- the Isles could only manage one puck past goalie Hunter Shepard making his seasonal debut -- defeating. Semyon Varlamov. Alex Ovechkin s pair were enough to win the game for the Visitors.

So, here's really the key since we're still in early November.

Lou Lamoriello will review all angles -- But I'll venture, not the goaltending -- and decide how to move forward. 

It's a situation where all options are on the table for the high command. Having known Lou since he arrived in the NHL in 1987, I can assure you that he won't hesitate to make a move if he believes it will put his skaters back on the straight and narrow path.

One NHL scout perceived a couple of positives for the home club:

"Simon Holmstrom continues to improve. Anders Lee played his best game of the season."

But the big guns have not delivered to par so far.

As for the Figure Filberts, The Caps are 12-5-1 in their last 18 games vs. Islanders dating back to the 2020-21 season. Plus Washington is 8-3-0 in their last 11 games against the Isles in New York. 

Perhaps the trip West will prove therapeutic.

Time will tell starting in the home of Connor McDavid!

What will Lou do is the question of the new week?

Time -- and eventually -- Lou will tell!