COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Islanders gave some well-deserved credit to their penalty kill following Thursday’s win over Ottawa.
But it would be far better if they hadn’t needed to spend nearly 11 minutes on the penalty kill after taking eight minor penalties and nine total to continue an alarming early-season trend.
“Can’t take penalties,” Cal Clutterbuck said after the 3-2 win. “Can’t take seven in a period.”
Thursday was the first time the Islanders have allowed eight power plays at home since March 1, 2014.
Just as worrisome, it’s the second time in a handful of games they’ve put themselves on the back foot with a morass of penalties; a 5-4 loss to the Devils last Friday included New Jersey going four-for-five on power plays.
The penalty kill was far better on Thursday, with a four-on-three goal the only blemish in a seven-for-eight evening.
But nonetheless, the Islanders spending most of the second period in the penalty box was far from ideal.
“We had a lot of stick infractions, things like that,” coach Lane Lambert said. “We gave up situations, put ourselves in bad spots where we had to finish checks. I think they’re more than preventable.
“You’re not going to prevent all of them. I think we’re putting ourselves in bad positions in order to take penalties. I don’t think it’s a discipline thing.”
Discipline or not, it is having adverse effects.
The Islanders have allowed 168 shots in their last four games — the most over a four-game span since February 2018.
Their five-on-five play has not helped that number, but cutting down on penalties would be an easy way to make it look a little better.
“I think it was just unfortunate a lot of the penalties that were being called,” Bo Horvat said. “It was just one of those games. I was proud of the way our PK battled through it.”
The Blue Jackets (3-2-2) come into Saturday’s contest on a four-game point streak, though they lost to Montreal on Thursday night in overtime.
Forward Patrik Laine did not play in that game and has been out since Calgary defenseman Rasmus Andersson illegally upended him last week — a hit that got Andersson suspended for four games.
The Islanders did not hold practice on Friday as they traveled to Columbus.