"The New York Islanders were once a dynasty. During the 1980s they were unstoppable, winning four straight Stanley Cups from 1980-1983. During that time, they were a scoring machine hand had many future Hockey Hall of Famers suit up for them. In the late 1980s and into the 1990s the Islanders slowly transformed into a more defensive team. That style of play continues today, and they have found that winning does comes with it."
"The Islanders currently have a record of 26-17-5 and are 10th overall in the league. They are not in this position because of offense. They have scored 137 goals and are 29th in the league with a 15.6% success rate on the power play. Instead, they are playing a suffocating defense that allows them to win games without a potent offense."
"Goaltenders Ilya Sorokin and newcomer David Rittich have shut the door as a goaltending duo. Sorokin is 15-11-2 with a .915 save percentage, a 2.57 goals against average, and a league-leading five shutouts. Rittich is 11-6-3 with a .906 save percentage, a 2.49 goals against average, and two shutouts. New York is third in the league in total goals against average, tied with the Minnesota Wild with seven shutouts."
The New York Islanders shifted from a dominant, high-scoring dynasty in the 1980s to a more defensive, physical identity by the late 1980s and 1990s. The current team relies on structured defensive play rather than offensive firepower. The Islanders are 26-17-5 and rank tenth overall while scoring 137 goals with a 15.6% power-play success rate, placing them near the bottom of the league offensively. The team excels defensively, allowing 129 goals with a 2.69 team goals-against average and an 82.1% penalty kill. Casey Cizikas provides shutdown depth in the bottom six. Goaltenders Ilya Sorokin and David Rittich anchor the defense with multiple shutouts and strong numbers.
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