The Islanders penalty kill is 11 for 13 since Dec. 31.
The New York Islanders' penalty kill, as it's been for the entire season, sits as the worst in the NHL at 65.2 percent.
But has the man disadvantage taken a critical turn as of late?
Since Dec. 31 against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Islanders' "struggling" penalty kill has been impressive, successfully killing 11 of 13 opportunities (84.6%). This stretch ranks them second in the NHL, just behind the Carolina Hurricanes (84.7%).
“I think we're making better reads," Islanders Bo Horvat told The Hockey News. "I think we're being a little bit more aggressive when we have the opportunities and taking their time and space away, especially the guys on the half wall.
"We really want to make a difference in the games, and we have been lately."
In Saturday night's matchup against the Utah Hockey Club, they successfully killed all three penalties. They forfeited only two total shots while keeping Utah out of the net-front area:
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Comparing this performance to the team's Dec. 29 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins is jarring.
That night, the Islanders conceded goals on both penalty kills, allowing seven total shots on goal.
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The first Penguins power-play goal came at the hands of Michael Bunting.
Sidney Crosby held possession behind the net and drew the attention of Alexander Romanov. After Ryan Pulock was forced to cover for Romanov's mispositioning, Crosby fed a wide-open Bunting for a clear look in front of the crease.
Marcus Hogberg never stood a chance:
The Penguins' second power-play goal came from a fluke deflection off of Alexander Romanov's leg. However, the lack of pressure applied by the Islanders' penalty killers is what allowed both Evgeni Malkin and Drew O'Connor to set up camp around the net with ease.
When asked about what they were doing wrong earlier in the season, Casey Cizikas didn't want to look back.
"We're focusing on what we're doing now. The beginning of season, it is what it is," Cizikas told THN. "Obviously, none of us were happy with how that was going, but what we're doing now, we're clicking well. We know what we need to do as a whole out there.”
Aggressiveness is the key to the penalty kill game for the Islanders and it seems they're finally understanding just how aggressive they need to be to have success.
"Just being aggressive at key moments and making sure that when one guy goes, we all go," Cizikas told THN. "We have each other's backs out there. The key word right now is 'connected' and that's what we are out there. When we need a block, we have a block. When we need a save, we get a save, and we got everybody on the ice on the same page. So I think that's the biggest thing."
Islanders head coach Patrick Roy agreed whole-heartedly with Cizikas' words.
“I feel like we are connected. One guy goes, everybody is there. We move up. We block shots, like even this morning at the practice, it was hard to throw pucks at the net, and that's what I love.
"We are connected on the forecheck. We are connected on the entry against, and then we're connected in our zone. There are guys doing a really nice job blocking shots and putting a good stick [in the shooting areas]. There's no secret. Teams are moving the puck very well. You need solid goaltending on the PK, and you need really good sticks, and that's what we had in those games and three in a row now.”
The Islanders begin their seven-game homestand with their third matchup of the season against the Ottawa Senators. They have won each of their prior two matchups against Canada's capital city by a score of 4-2.