The New York Islanders are 0-1-1 two games into the season, and fans are already panicking. Across social media, people are worrying about the penalty kill, lamenting blown leads, criticizing Patrick Roy and questioning the effort of players.

Again, it has been just two games. The Islanders played the now 3-0-0 Utah Hockey Club, who many predict will make the playoffs, and the 2-0-0 Dallas Stars, a perennial Stanley Cup contender.

There have been some positives.

Maxim Tsyplakov looks great. He got 20:46 of ice time Thursday night against Utah, the most by a member of the Islanders in his first NHL game since John Tavares in 2009. He became the 22nd Islander to score in his first NHL game when he gave his team a 4-3 lead late in the third period.

Anthony Duclair also appears to be settling in nicely, recording a goal and an assist in his team debut. The top line of Duclair, Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal has the potential to be one of the best in the NHL.

And keep in mind that Ilya Sorokin has yet to appear in a game. If he comes back fully healthy, that will give the Islanders one of the best goaltending duos in hockey.

Yes, the Islanders — especially Noah Dobson — have looked sloppy through two games, frequently turning the puck over when exiting the defensive zone. But that is normal and expected in October.

“I just think the more we’re going to play, the better we’re going to get,” Roy said after Saturday night’s 3-0 loss to the Stars. “Sometimes we just need to be a little more heavy on our stick and simplify, maybe, some of our decisions.”

The penalty kill was bad against Utah, but the Islanders scored a short-handed goal. They blew their lead immediately after Tsyplakov’s tally and lost 5-4 in overtime. The power play struggled. For many fans, it was a nightmare that reminded them of the 2023-24 season.

✅ 1/6 on the power play
✅ 0/2 on the PK
✅ Have Pageau/Holmstrom score short handed
✅ Dominate every stat category
✅Take the lead with 2 minutes left
✅ Surrender it 13 seconds later on an egregious Noah Dobson error
✅ Lose in OT on another Noah Dobson error pic.twitter.com/JgnirDtR7v

— Ethan aka The People’s Insider (@EthanGSN) October 11, 2024

But the Islanders actually improved Saturday against Dallas, even though they were shut out. The Islanders had 3.08 expected goals compared to 2.45 by the Stars, according to MoneyPuck.com. At 5-on-5, the Islanders had 2.88 expected goals and the Stars had just 1.36. The analytics say the Islanders could have very easily won that game.

“I thought we were more aggressive,” Roy said. “I thought we did a good job putting our sticks in those lanes, pressing them at the right time.”

But the Islanders lost. It happens. Some teams start slow and some teams start fast. Either way, two games is simply two games and nothing more.

Going into the season, the Islanders had a pretty clear floor and ceiling. For the last two years, the Islanders barely made it into the playoffs and lost in the first round to the Carolina Hurricanes.

With a healthy Scott Mayfield, a full season of Roy behind the bench and Tsyplakov and Duclair replacing Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin, it is fair to say the Islanders project slightly better than a fringe playoff team.

They should make the postseason in a weak Eastern Conference, and if Sorokin or Semyon Varlamov get hot, they can win a round. The Islanders are were an above average hockey team entering the year, and they still are, even after starting 0-1-1.

Two losses does not change anything. There will be growing pains early in any season, especially with a relatively new coach still implementing his system and culture.

Don’t forget that the Islanders have a tough schedule to start the year, embarking on a three-game road trip after hosting Utah. But they return home for four of their next five games, and their only road contest will take place in Newark, less than 40 miles away from UBS Arena.

If the Islanders get hot and rattle off a few wins over the next week, nobody will remember their first two games. So stay calm and don’t panic… yet.

Featured image courtesy of AP Photo/LM Otero

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