1. Almost every year all 30 teams win 25-30 games, lose 20-30 unless you are historically good or bad, and even the 1972-73 team had a winning streak and the 9-7 win in Boston.
The New York Islanders had some horrible stretches during their Stanley Cup years when they were not winning fifteen straight games without overtime.
1a. What you do with the other 30 games decides your season, it's that simple. Our team lost 14 games entering the third period with a two goal lead last season, and still finished 17-5-2 in it's last 24 road games, but won only nine games in regulation at home (none easy) with four more in overtime/shootouts.
1b. Any team can beat any other team on a given night now more than ever. No such thing as one easy game, and if you need proof the Islanders road record back to last season with an AHL lineup is now 22-8-2.
1c. The back to back regulation loss streak that lasted from Dec 7th 2013 ended in San Jose.
2. The New York Islanders were not going to allow over three goals all 82 games, they were not going to score five goals every game.
3. Eventually unless the team was a catastrophe they were going to play some low scoring games, and have a decent stretch killing penalties.
4. Eventually the scoring was going to dry up. Those are all normal trends for all teams over a full season.
What was alarming was Halak's play from day one of preseason, and Johnson after his win in Boston. Things leveled out for both, it's supposed to.
My experience watching our team in the past is the first trend, the one with the weak goaltending, poor five on five play and poor penalty kill with the awful home record, and excellent road record.
But with the roster turnover, the age of the core players does suggest the trends could be changing.
We also now know they are capable of winning low scoring games against good teams and killing some penalties.
What is alarming would be John Tavares two even strength goals, and no qualified 1st line left wing talent in the organization to replace Vanek's production which Snow decided he had to address last season.
And I have no doubt unless this team makes the playoffs Garth Snow and Jack Capuano will not be going to the Barclay's Center. A perception change based on the lack of results will be mandated, and completely justified.
Also I can easily see a team with 95-97 points not qualifying from this conference just as it has been in the Western Conference and the New York Islanders being that team.
Ok, now we sit back for a good long while, and see what happens next.
#ISLES Jim Parker @winstarparker Deal is final: #OHL Windsor #Spitfires trade Josh Ho-Sang to Niagara.
— NYI Fan Central (@nyifancentral) November 14, 2014