With just about halfway through the Islanders’ 13 game road trip to start the season, the team’s play has been steadily improving, showing that the road trip has been a success so far.

The Islanders have played six games so far, just under half of the season-opening 13-game road trip prior to the opening of UBS Arena. In those since games, they have a record of 3-2-1. After starting the season with two non-characteristic blowout losses, letting up 11 goals in two games, the Islanders have gone on a four-game point streak and have only let up four goals. Ilya Sorokin has been standing strong in the net and even posted back-to-back shutouts against the Arizona Coyotes and Vegas Golden Knights. It seems as if the Islanders have turned a corner defensively,  returning to the defensive standards the team has set under Barry Trotz.

While the Islanders’ record of 3-2-1 is by no means a perfect start, it is essential to remember the Islanders have yet to play a game at home this season, a place that they have excelled in the past. In the 2019-20 season, the Islanders amassed a record of 20-9-6 at home and finished 21-4-3 at home during last year’s shortened season. They have, however, struggled on the road, posting a 15-14-4 on the road in 2019-20, and were worse in 2020-21, posting a sub-.500 record at 11-13-4.

Moreover, the Islanders’ struggles on the road makes their start to their 13-game road trip even more impressive. The team has proved so far it can win on the road, or at least win enough to keep them afloat until they can come home and play in front of their fans again.

Ethan Halle

Ethan is an Economics Major at the University of Florida looking to pursue a double major in Sports Management with a minor in political science.