You want to beat the Islanders? Score on the Power Play. Isles have allowed at least one power play goal in 15 games this season, and are 7-8-0 in those games. In the 13 games they have shutout the opponent on the PP, the Isles are 12-1-0 (losing only to Toronto).
These numbers are even more dramatic than last season, when Isles were 14-21-4 when they allowed at least one power play goal and 20-16-7 when they did not.
As evidenced in Minnesota on Tuesday, losing face-offs makes killing penalties so much harder. A rule change a few seasons ago starts every power play with an offensive zone draw.
How have the Isles done on face-offs while shorthanded? This season, they rank 29th in a 30 team lead.
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| BUF | 37.2 | 64 | 108 |
| NYI | 37.5 | 51 | 85 |
| WPG | 40.9 | 90 | 130 |
| N.J | 40.9 | 72 | 104 |
| OTT | 41.3 | 76 | 108 |
(These stats, compiled by war-on-ice.com, do not include Tuesday's games, in which the Isles lost 6 of 7 draws while shorthanded).
Team do generally win a much greater percentage of draws while on the power play; only 8 teams had won at least 50% while shorthanded so far this season.
The Isles won 39.3% of their draws while shorthanded last season, which placed them last in the NHL. (Calgary, at 41.5%, was 2nd to last). Since the start of 2009-10 season, the Isles have won only 42.3% of draws while shorthanded (ahead of only Calgary and Edmonton).
None of the players who take face-offs regularly have strong, or even good numbers, shorthanded this season:
Frans Nielsen has lost 42 of 63; Casey Cizikas has lost 23 of 40; Ryan Strome has lost 12 of 17 and Brock Nelson has lost 9 of 14.
The Isles are a middle of the road team with face-offs on their power play, ranking 14th before Tuesday's game, where they lost 5 of 7.
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