The problem is not the roster. This roster has as good a chance as any to compete for the Cup. The problem with this team is the game plan and this problem harks all the way back to the year Trotz joined this club 5 years ago. The problem is this team plays too a risk adverse game plan that it relies on zone defense to finish out a game when they have the lead and at least under Trotz relied too much on the opponents to make a mistake on the Isles forecheck to generate offense even when they are down only one or two goals late in the game. That risk adverse nature of the game cost this team the ability to generate goals when it needs to and to defend properly when they just have to protect the lead.
Again as has been mentioned in several threads, this is not a game of chess but this is how both Lambert and Trotz before him approached the game. If you completely buy into the system you can control the other players movements by only making the right decisions. But unlike chess there are too variables you don’t have control over, like physical mistakes, unlucky puck bounces, and psychological factors which don’t play any part in chess. It’s this variable, psychological stress that the coaching staff is doing a TERRIBLE job understanding.
They believe if you play not to lose in the third period and stick to strict zone defense you will invariably beat the other team. Problem is every team caught onto this starting I noticed starting with Lightning’s Cooper since the first playoffs in the ECF. He told his team “don’t worry about the Islanders if they are leading in the 3rd period they will play zone defense and they will make practically no attempt launch a counter attack. So can cheat as much as you want, join the rush as much as you want and take as many shots as you want because they always collapse around their goaltender and idea of going the other way is practically non existent.”
And that’s what we are seeing here. And this Has to be what the Lambert is telling them because it’s too predictable and we’ve all seen it one too many times. This is not chess. You can’t fully control what the other player does. You cannot play a mistake free game such that you can control what the other team does. There’s a lot of psychology in all sports. You need to get into the opponents heads.
The solution to current Islanders collapses in the 3rd period is simply making sure the other team understands you are still playing to win and not just going backwards on your heels playing not lose. Yes the objective is still to protect your lead don’t telegraph this like poorly telegraphed plays during a power play. The opponent has to fear that you are going to launch a counter attack with odd man rushes the other way if you play too aggressively in your attempts to catch up or tie a game. And you do this over and over again until the opponent thinks twice about pressing.
So what that means is if the team is pressing and the Dmen are joining the rush the Isles have to try to gain possession and soon as they do chip the puck into the center ice and have two players already headed the other way. But the Isles don’t do this like other team would do because they are coached to be too risk adverse. “No no stay back and just protect the lead”. This the game plan they have taken ever since Trotz was here and now that everyone has caught onto the plan our goaltenders are just getting annihilated because every team knows the Isles don’t launch counterattacks late in the game. This creates a lot of angst for our players and goaltenders and a lot of confidence for the opposing team.
So to me this is the solution to problem (be a threat to score with odd man rushes the other way) in addition to a hybrid zone defense for better gap control where they are putting more pressure at the blue line by playing more man on man when up high and an anchor zone defense down low. This puts pressure on the opponent to make mistakes and not give them time to set up.
If Lambert does have this type of answer to the Isles current defensive woes he needs to go.
Last edited: Nov 5, 2023
