Maxim Tsyplakov is a major piece to the Islanders' power-play puzzle.
ELMONT, NY -- Maxim Tsyplakov proved through training camp and the preseason that he could be a menace for the New York Islanders on their top power-play unit, given his tremendous net-front and behind-the-net skills.
Tsyplakov's ability to screen the goalie with the "scarecrow" method but also know when to move a few inches toward the weaker side of the ice and open up for a pass or go behind the net to set up plays makes him a triple threat.
But on opening night, the Islanders failed to take advantage of No. 7's attributes, costing themselves dearly.
The Islanders' power play did get off to a strong start, scoring on their first man-advantage shot after Noah Dobson's wrister caromed off Anthony Duclair's skate and in:
But after that goal, there was radio silence from the Islanders' power play.
Immediately following Duclair's first goal as an Islander, they found themselves back on the power play after Utah Hockey Club head coach Andre Tourigny challenged for goalie interference, and lost.
It was an opportunity in the game for the Islanders to jump out to a 2-0 lead and slow the roll of an energized Utah team.
The Islanders mustered two shots before that power play expired, getting another chance to be up a man with 4:50 to play in the first period, still up 1-0.
The power play recorded two shots on goal but got nothing to show for it.
According to NaturalStatrick.com, their Expected Goals For (xGF) on their five power-play shots in the first period was 0.75.
Tsyplakov played 3:08 of their 5:04 power-play minutes in the first.
In the second period, the Islanders went on the power play for the fourth time, with a chance to answer Utah's goal that put New York down 3-2.
The Islanders failed to record a shot, with Tsyplakov deflecting a puck just wide, playing 1:39 of the 2:00.
Obviously, scoring a goal to tie the game there would have been critical, but at least Tsyplakov was a focal point:
Then came the third period, where the Islanders got a gift from Utah defenseman Ian Cole, who high-sticked Anders Lee off an offensive-zone face-off, drawing blood with 10:38 to play in the third.
The Islanders had just blown their first third-period lead of the season two minutes prior and were looking to rectify that.
On the double-minor power play, the Islanders only got two shots on goal (xGF of 0.19), but it wasn't from a lack of trying.
Four of their shot attempts were blocked, two of the four coming off Duclair's stick.
Of the four fruitless minutes, Tsyplakov played 2:51.
The Islanders found a way to take the lead anyway, thanks to Tsyplakov netting his first career goal with 2:07 to play in the game.
But a run-back of 2023-24 commenced, with the Islanders giving up the tying goal 13 seconds later before falling in overtime.
Had the Islanders' power play been more of a weapon, they would likely have skated off the UBS ice with two points instead of one.
And their failure to come through on that double-minor was the turning point of the game.
Obviously, it was a missed opportunity," Islanders head coach Patrick Roy said postgame. "It's nice to move the puck, but at times, you need shots on goal. You need shots on goal.
"We did well getting in and moving that puck, but, I mean, come on. We got to get shots on net. And that's what they did, and they scored their goals. We need to be better."
The Islanders haven't had a power-play weapon like Tsyplakov in quite some time.
Having that new type of net-front presence means all the Islanders have to truly do is keep things simple.
When shooting lanes present themselves, the Islanders need to put more of an emphasis on ripping the puck on goal and allow Tsyplakov's screening ability or tipping skills to work their magic.
Of course, the Islanders' top unit can't be one-dimensional, and they certainly have the skill set to create some magic.
However, when getting a volume of shots is an issue, they need to keep it simple, and the Islanders failed to do that.
"The team needs to understand that they now have someone in front of the net that is very savvy," former NHL scout and colleague David Kolb noted. "They need to get pucks on net on the power play, and it seemed that, at times, the four other players ignored number seven in front of the net."
It's unrealistic to expect the Islanders to score every time they're up a man, and Tsyplakov is only a piece of the puzzle.
But, when the opposing team's penalty kill is doing a strong job taking away the backdoor plays or the weak-side one-timer, they need to be cognizant that they're biggest weapon stands at the top of the crease.