Panic Button On Long Island?

There was a lot of high expectations for the 2021-22 New York Islanders. Back to back season as one of the final four teams in the NHL. So you'd like to think there is a lot to be able to build off of if your the Islanders. Many people, including yours truly, had the Islanders predicted to go on yet another deep playoff run. With the way the season has started, would suggest otherwise.

Now its worth noting that, at the time of this writing, its two games into the season. Last time I checked, there was 82 games in a full NHL season. But over the first two games of the year, things aren't looking good for the Islanders. First was a 6-3 loss to the Hurricanes in the opener. Then they follow that up with a 5-1 loss in Sunrise tonight against the Panthers. Not too much has gone right for the team over the first two games.

The power play has looked like crap, save for the Whalstrom goal, which was the only goal scored, against the Panthers tonight. This has been a recurring problem for the last number of years now. In goal is another story, Ilya Sorokin has taken over the main starter job with Symeon Varlamov out hurt to start the season. Sorokin is a solid netminder, there's no doubt. That being said, in the first two games, he has looked really shaky. Some of the goals he's given up over the first two games should have been stopped. At the same time I still thing he's trying to figure out his game at this level, so I'm not totally going to leave this kid out to dry.

The offense has been MIA for stretches early. They looked great in the first ten minutes against Florida tonight, but then took the foot off the gas pedal and the Panthers took it over and ran with it. The Islanders offense needs to show a lot more fight and a complete effort every night. It hasn't really been there in the first two games.

That's the key phrase here my fellow Islanders fans. First. Two. Games. Lets not hit the panic button. There's no need. Its early October, the season is going until April. The good teams will figure it out. I'm sure the team knows what they have to work on and they will get it. The cream of the crop will always rise to the top and I feel the islanders still have the talent to be able to pull that off. Lets not jump off the bridge and say the seasons over now.