No one has yet given a medal to the Islanders' penalty kill, and there are big questions about whether a unit that has been terrible all season can maintain this performance.
But heading into Monday's game against the Blue Jackets, the Islanders will have to win if they have any chance of hanging around in the playoff race, and they've won six games and counting. That doesn't mean it's not attracting attention. No power play goals allowed.
This is the longest stretch since the first eight games of the 2022-23 season, a period in which the four-man unit has deteriorated into historically poor territory and been a consistent reason for losing games.
If this is a sign that the penalty kill is being pulled back from the abyss, that would be most welcome.
“I think we changed some things,” Scott Mayfield told the Post after Sunday's practice. “We had some long meetings. We realized we have to be better. I like some of the things we've made so far. Sometimes under pressure, Making sure we clear when we can. I think our forwards did a great job of putting pressure on the ice as well. We have a pretty clear job right now.”
It also doesn't seem like this was just a product of the goaltending, but the goalie certainly helped.
Over the past two weeks, the Islanders have ranked eighth in the league in shots allowed per 60 penalty kills and second in shorthanded attempts.
They are the only penalties in the league that have not allowed a goal over that span.
Perfection isn't sustainable, but for the first time in a (very) long time, the Islanders found some confidence at 4-on-5.
Islanders suddenly seem willing to go all the way to the blue line and deny access.
The forward comes down the ice and is bothering the puck carrier.
No one is running around like a chicken with its head cut off. There is even more connection.
“A lot of teams have a tendency. I think we're putting more emphasis on that,” Mayfield said. “We watched a ton of video about stick position, body position, general positioning on the ice and where the danger guys are. We watched a lot of video between the D team and the forwards, between the D pair I sorted out a few things.”
If this is the beginning of a turnaround, and it is a monumental one, its importance cannot be overstated.
For the second year in a row, the penalty kill has been a constant and never-ending stumbling block for the Islanders.
It is no exaggeration to say that this is the biggest reason why they lost in the first round of the series against Carolina last season and this season ended so poorly.
Fixing the penalty kill is not quite the same as fixing the Islanders. But the latter cannot happen without the former.
And if the Islanders go back to the same old problems at 4-5, even if they still have a slim chance of making the playoffs, it will quickly become zero.
After not spending enough time on special teams in camp (something coach Patrick Roy said he regrets), work with both units became a component of daily practice.
Finally, let's knock on wood. The results may be starting to show.
“I think it helps to repeat that,” Roy said. “I think we're trying to simplify things. But more importantly, the players take pride in it. They want it. They give it importance. I understand. I think we're tired of newspaper articles saying our penalty kicks aren't very good, and I think it's also a matter of pride. When you go out there, it's a commitment from the group.”
