EAST MEADOW — Of the 10 goals allowed by the Islanders in their last two games — both losses — eight of them were directly attributed to the Seattle Kraken and Montreal Canadiens’ ability to get in front of goaltenders Ilya Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov to obstruct their vision with little resistance from the defense.
“The effort’s there but we can work a lot smarter,” Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech told amNewYork on Monday morning. “We’ve always worked hard, I don’t think that’s the question. It’s more, like I said, working smart. We need to box out in front of our net. We can’t let guys get tips, second chances, rebounds.”
That was the main focus of Monday’s practice ahead of their matchup with the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night at UBS Arena — a normally timid head coach in Lane Lambert boisterously directing the defense to be warier of maintaining clear sightlines for their goaltenders.
“It’s hard because guys are going to the net hard,” Pelech added. “That’s where you score goals, right? We really just have to bear down and take a lot of pride in that.”
But the Islanders’ defense wasn’t so quick to simply label it as a physical issue that was plaguing the team even if it might have been an easier route to take. This has been the blueprint for how to beat them and their top-tier goaltending for years, now — and constant battling in front of the net would lead some to believe that it would take a toll on the body under consistent circumstances.
That’s not the case.
“That’s our job. It’s 50% of what we’re supposed to do,” Ryan Pulock said. “It’s hard work. You’re getting hit with pucks, but it’s just part of the game. It’s that mental focus, that mindset of working on that being your No. 1 priority, and some of it’s just bearing down.
“Anyone can work hard and it’s kind of all it really is. It’s just trying to out-muscle, out-battle, out-work your opponent up front.”
One way to potentially alleviate some of the pressure of having to constantly try to clear out opposing forwards in front of goal is to ensure they never get there in the first place. That means exhibiting a more physical brand of play, especially along the boards where Lambert implored his blue liners to stop watching the puck during Monday’s practice. Instead, go for the body to slow up the attack.
“You try to kill their will and not even let them even try [to get in front],” Pulock said. “It might back them off a little bit but you have to be careful, too, because games are called tight now. You can’t be grabbing and holding and completely eliminating guys. But I think you can own your space, you can control your lane, and try to eliminate them from getting there.”
Regardless of how they get it done, the Islanders have to figure out the defensive lapses as soon as possible if they went to keep the thinning thread of playoff hopes alive over the final two months of the season.
“We are professionals. Every guy in here should know their job,” Pulock said, putting the responsibility squarely on his and his teammates’ shoulders. “The coaches put guys in roles and help guys understand their roles, but it’s our job to go out and do it. I think reminders can be important at times, but you shouldn’t have to be reminded every day.”
