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The Skinny: Rangers 5, Isles 2

"The Skinny" By Eric Hornick Game 68 Rangers 5, Isles 2 Johnny Brodzinski broke a 2-2 tie with 4:59 left in the middle period and ...

Friday, February 03, 2012

We're #1 ..at least in one category

Isles begin play in Ottawa tonight with the best road PP in the NHL.  The Isles are 17-66 on the road this season (25.8%).  The 66 pp's are tied with Buffalo for the fewest in the NHL.

The Isles were 3-21 on the pp during their first 7 games (0-5-2) but are 14-45 (31.1%) in the last 16 (9-6-1) away from the Coliseum.

The Isles are 5th overall on the powerplay; among Eastern teams only Philadelphia has been more successful.

The Isles PP is at 20.3% overall; they haven't finished above 20% since 1993-94 (20.1%).

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To put Sam Gagner's amazing night into (an Islander) perspective: Gagner has never had a 50-point season in the NHL.  Even after last night, he only has 30 points this season, his 5th in the league.  John Tavares already has three 50-point seasons.

 
Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home telecasts since January 21, 1982. Visit my blog: NYISkinny.com and follow me on Twitter @ehornick

4 comments:

Bryan said...

I want to know how the Islanders have a powerplay in the top 5, 3 players in the top 20 in points and still are tied for last in the conference....

Eric Hornick said...

In addition to the "lack of secondary scoring" that we have been hearing about all season, the Isles have had relatively few power plays this season --only 153 in 49 games. This reduces the effect of having such a good PP. (The Isles have been shorthanded 148 times.)

The Isles had 302 pp's last season; they are on pace to have only 256 this season, which would be the fewest in 35 years.

Thanks for reading!

Peter said...

I think it has to do with our league worst 5 v 5 rating... If we improve that, we would be in the playoff hunt

Eric Hornick said...

Good point. Isles begin the day -27 at 5 on 5, which is worst in the league. They are also -4 at 4 on 4 and -3 in empty nets.

Overall,they are -26, so that leaves them +8 in PP/PK.