As the New York Islanders prepare for Game Two in Raleigh, the high command no doubt has addressed the negative issues. But addressing them and alleviating them are two different things.
The adage that has held for 100 or so years is simply this: hockey is a game of mistakes.
Fix the mistakes -- or cure the maladies, if you will -- and losing will turn to winning. It can happen as quickly as tonight in Carolina.
As the Islanders prepare for Game Two in Raleigh, the high command no doubt has addressed the negative issues. But addressing them and alleviating them are two different things. Aspirins won't work.
We start with the fact that we're dealing with a one-goal game in which the Hurricanes scored both goals on power plays.
There are two ways to fix that issue: 1. Avoid unnecessary penalties; which means 90 percent of the infractions. Two penalties cost the Islanders two goals, and the game; 2. Improve the penalty-kill. Ironically, the PK has been one of the Isles fortes. It should be able to fix itself.
Over the regular campaign, there were two irritating weaknesses that -- in their own chronic way -- have been without any noticeable solution since the injury to the creative offense man Mathew Barzal. The powerless power play.
Carolina scored twice out of their four-time man advantage; the Isles when oh-for-four. In a sense that .000 stat is deceptive since the first PP produced a spate of opportunities that were thwarted either by goalie Antti Raanta or New York's inability to finish a play.
Now that the rust has been wiped clean from Barzal's skates the PP should -- at the very least -- improve, but how much remains a moot point until it is tested under second-game conditions.
Another challenge involves streamlining the defense-to-offense breakouts. Too often, the Canes laid siege to Islanders' ice in the opening minutes, setting the Nassaumen on their collective heels and enabling dangerous enemy thrusts.
One NHL scout put it this way: "The Islanders showed they can play with Carolina which may have more bark than bite right now. But the Isles must move the puck better out of their zone, and play a more physical offensive game."
Coach Lambert doesn't have to be told all about that; especially the zone clearing. After the loss he explained; "I've talked about it all the time. We've got to move the puck more quickly in transition."
Getting the first goal will be huge, statistically and psychologically.
It's obvious that the Canes play firewagon hockey and it's equally clear that the Isles got zilch in scoring from their forwards. With that in mind, The Maven offers these revised formations:
1. Bo Horvat centering Zach Parise and Barzal; a speed unit.
2. Brock Nelson between Anders Lee and Hudson Fasching; a sniper's outfit.
3. Jean-Gabrielle Pageau, the pivot alongside Pierre Engvall and Kyle Palmieri; more speed and hoped-for scoring.
4. The Identity Line -- effective in the opener -- will remain intact.
On defense, the absence of injured Alexander Romanov -- no timeline for his return -- means that coach Lambert is compelled to play an inexperienced Sebastian Aho and Samuel Bolduc (they held their own in Game One).
A one-goal defeat in the opener can be converted into a one-one series tie if the Isles accentuate the positive and pave over the potholes.
Or, as defenseman Noah Dobson asserted: "We gotta find a way!"
Okay, guys, find it."