The Islanders overhauled their scheme this offseason after posting historically poor penalty kill numbers a year ago.
Specifically, Patrick Roy and new assistant coach Tommy Alberin decided to return to a PK structure that had worked so well for the team in the past.
“We are running Flash [system]”We've looked at film from a few years ago and the team did really well with the Flashes, so we're going to go back to that,” Roy said after the second day of training camp on Friday. [Albelin] He wanted us to be a well-rounded team, and that was the structure he wanted to use. What I like about it is that this team did it a few years ago when they had the best penalty kick in the league.”
Without getting into tactical specifics, the flashes mean the Islanders will be more aggressive on the penalty kick, especially with their forwards.
It was notable that the team spent time working on special teams early in camp. While special teams work typically takes place in the second week of training camp, an in-depth session on power play and penalty kill was held on Friday for players who were not participating in intrasquad drills.
Roy said part of the problem is that the Islanders have a lot of exhibition games so they don't have much time to hone their special teams, but of course the team's struggles last season and the system changes that followed have added urgency.
The Islanders' success rate from 4-on-5 was 71.5 percent last season, the 10th-worst mark by any team since the statistic began being recorded in 1977-78 and the worst in franchise history.
It would make a big difference if the Islanders can reach league average levels by going back to the system that was successful under coach Barry Trotz.
“You have to be patient and aggressive at the same time,” Casey Cizikas told The Post. “It sounds weird, but you wait for your opportunity, you wait for the big moment to make the kill. When one guy puts the pressure on, everybody goes with him. Not just one guy, all four of us pull the rope together. When one guy decides it's time to put the pressure on, everybody goes with him.”
Ilya Sorokin (back) missed camp for the second consecutive day.
Roy said he skates on his own, but declined to say whether that includes taking shots.
Alex Jeffries, Brian Pinho, Taj Thompson, Matt Maggio and Anders Lee all scored during an intrasquad scrimmage and subsequent bag skate at practice on Friday.
The group of players who did not take part in the scrimmage also skated in addition to a full practice that focused primarily on special teams and skill work.
