On the Islanders Beat

In my view, the Islanders’ third-period collapse against Detroit leading to a 4-3 overtime loss Tuesday night was their worst of the season. I don’t care if they had a 19-0-1 record taking a lead to the third period before that. It’s the circumstances that bother me.

Here they took control early against a terrific team and a great goaltender in Dominik Hasek, and they were playing their style of game. Red Wings coach Mike Babcock even admitted after the game that his team wasn’t ready for the Islanders’ physical approach, and added, “They backed us off.”

So, the Islanders had to know a team like Detroit would turn up the pressure in the third period, and when the Wings got the early power-play goal, they would smell blood. The breakdowns by the Islanders that quickly followed were hugely disappointing because a win in that spot after taking three points from Atlanta and Buffalo over the weekend could have been the springboard the Islanders need for their playoff push.

Now, it’s as though they take a boatload of doubts with them to Atlanta for the start of their three-game road trip that ends with afternoon games in Montreal and Washington on Saturday and Sunday. Last night, I asked coach Ted Nolan about the effect of such a bad loss, and he downplayed it.

“Whether you lose 15-1 or lose in OT, a loss is a loss,” Nolan said. “It doesn’t matter how you lose, you’ve just got to learn from it. We let this slip away in the third period. We had a three-goal lead, we didn’t hang on, and now, we’ve got to learn from that.”

I wasn’t at practice today because it’s a travel day for me, but my Newsday colleague Jeff Gold tells me Nolan gave the Isles a bit of a tongue-lashing. Not that all of them needed it, but as Nolan suggested after the All-Star break, they must have the mental strength to respond better than they did to Detroit’s first power-play goal.

Following the game, captain Alexei Yashin mentioned the need to be mentally strong for 60 minutes, and he added, “I guess we lost focus.” Frankly, it’s time to wonder about Yashin’s focus, along with a few others. Yashin produced one shot on goal against the Red Wings and badly missed the net on an overtime breakaway that was the Isles’ only scoring chance before Henrik Zetterberg’s gamewinner for Detroit. Miroslav Satan and Viktor Kozlov managed zero shots on goal with Satan missing once and Kozlov not shooting at all. Nolan needs to see more determination than that from his top scorers.

All goal scorers go through slumps and deserve the benefit of patience as they attempt to work themselves out of it. But after one goal in his past 18 games by Yashin, it’s my sense that patience within the organization is growing thin. Nolan has the confidence of owner Charles Wang to handle things as he sees fit. How much leash he gives Yashin from this point forward certainly bears watching.

By the way, it was obvious that goaltender Rick DiPietro was upset with defenseman Radek Martinek after he was called for hooking to set up the power play on which the Wings tied the game in regulation. Nolan said Martinek wasn’t even aware a penalty had been called on him because it was such a borderline call. DiPietro explained it as a case of miscommunication.

“Their whole forecheck was clogging up those walls,” DiPietro said. “I was trying to relay to him that we should just chip it behind the net and walk it out. But that stuff happens. He’s a great skater, and he can make plays with his feet. But [the Red Wings] did a good job of shutting that wall down on that particular play, and they benefited from it.”

When a reporter questioned whether the Islanders might have worn down on the penalty kill after facing five power plays in the first two periods, DiPietro said, “Absolutely not. That’s how we’ve got to play. You’ve got to play that way for 60 minutes. That’s what great teams do, and we want to be a great team. Especially against a team like Detroit, you can’t let down your guard. Once you flinch, then, they get a chance and they score. As you saw, they came to life and continued to work and generate offense.”

DiPietro is right. The Islanders have killed more penalties in several games than they faced against Detroit. The problem this time is that they weren’t as strong as they needed to be under pressure in a big spot. That’s the difference between the pretenders and the contenders. Now, let’s see how the Islanders define themselves from here on out.

Back in October when Buffalo beat the Islanders 3-0 in their first meeting, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff responded to a question about Ted Nolan’s coaching style by hinting that the NHL game had changed so much in the nine years the Isles’ coach was out of the league that his gritty, physical style might not work the way it once did in Buffalo. Ruff had no reason to revise that view after his team outskated the Isles on New Year’s Day in Buffalo in a 3-1 win.

However, the game Nolan’s team played to beat the Eastern Conference-leading Sabres 5-3 on Saturday night at the Coliseum showed that the NHL might not have changed as much as people believe. Yes, Buffalo goaltender Ryan Miller uncharacteristically let in two long shots by Arron Asham and a screened drive by Randy Robitaille for the gamewinner in the three-goal rally in the third period. But Nolan came away feeling as though the Islanders carried the play to the Sabres as much as their 24-13 edge in hits suggests.

The playoff push means it’s time for playoff-style hockey. There’s no room for the silly penalties like the one Miro Satan took for cross-checking at the end of a play in front of the referee that led to the Sabres’ only power play goal. But there were times when the officials let a little more go, especially when the Isles were in on the forecheck fighting hard for the puck.

In their comeback from an early 3-0 deficit to get a shootout loss in Atlanta and again in the Buffalo game, the Islanders had the edge in territorial dominance. It was especially pronounced in Atlanta, where the Thrashers had 24 giveaways under pressure to nine by the Isles.

The third line with Mike Sillinger, Trent Hunter and Andy Hilbert has been especially effective in playing defense to create offense. Describing the Thrashers' offensive-oriented attack, Sillinger said, “They’re a team that loves the transition. They have lots of firepower, and they love to score goals. So, we knew that if we were patient and got in on the forecheck, we could come back. Sure enough, we did. But we fell short in overtime.”

That’s the formula these Islanders have learned to play under Nolan. If it were a boxing match, the Isles would be the counter-puncher, waiting for the other guy to make a mistake and leave an opening so they can come crashing through. Speaking of which, they’re doing a better job of creating traffic in front of the net and of putting the puck on net to create more scoring chances.

During their recent 4-2-2 stretch, Sillinger’s line and Viktor Kozlov’s second line with Satan and Robitaille have generated two-thirds of the goals. Top line center Alexei Yashin has 26 shots on goal in the past five games plus two assists and his only goal in the past 17 games, so, maybe he’s due to break out of his slump.

Against Buffalo, the fourth line of Asham, Shawn Bates and Richard Park had a big game. “I hate to categorize 1-2-3-4 lines,” Nolan said after the game. “It’s one of four. We could have called them our first line, especially Arron and Bates with the way he hit toward the end of that game. That’s what we need him to do.”

Keep punching. Go to the body. That’s the way to slow down the highly skilled teams coming up on the schedule. Hunter usually sets the tone in that department, but defenseman Chris Campoli delivered a game-high eight hits against the Sabres in the absence of injured Brendan Witt.

Despite their rough start in Atlanta, the Islanders got three of a possible four points from two division leaders on back-to-back nights to start their playoff push. They have to do more of the same against Detroit, which will be tough because the Red Wings rely more on defense with Dominek Hasek in goal. Then, it’s back on the road for six of the Islanders’ next seven games.

If they’re still in the playoff picture when they get to Valentine’s Day with seven straight home games on the schedule and nine of the next 11 at the Coliseum, they will be in position to make up some serious ground. It will be interesting to see if the last team standing in the donnybrook for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference will be the fastest, most skilled team or the grittiest, most physical team.

p.s. -- I totally agree with Edgar's comment on my previous blog that the Islanders should adopt their original jersey as their third jersey in place of the orange ones they wear now. The orange numbers on the old blue jerseys was very sharp looking.

With only a month left until the Feb. 27 NHL trade deadline, rumors are bound to proliferate as they always do. But Islanders coach Ted Nolan found one speculative report published recently in Ottawa particularly troubling. The report suggested Nolan is embroiled in a feud with winger Miroslav Satan, wants to trade him and is angry that Satan is invoking a no-trade clause to block any deal.

Nolan just shook his head in wonder when asked about the report privately after this morning’s skate. “Satan is one of the nicest gentlemen I’ve met in the NHL,” Nolan said. The Islanders coach acknowledged Satan has been struggling this season with only 13 goals and naturally would like to see him get going. But he indicated there has been no move to trade Satan at this stage.

Somehow, it doesn’t seem surprising that the report came out of Ottawa, where the Senators’ general manager is John Muckler, who did not get along with Nolan when both were in Buffalo and Satan was a rookie with the Sabres. The fact is that Nolan has done nothing but heap praise on Satan this season, starting in training camp with frequent references to the winger’s “magic hands.” Nolan also promoted Satan to the first power-play unit and has shown a determination to keep him there ahead of captain Alexei Yashin, who had great success on the top power play early in the season.

But why let the facts get in the way of a good story?

BLAKE’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE: Except for the pain of trying to break in new skates in practice, Jason Blake still was beaming from his All-Star experience in Dallas when he rejoined the Islanders for the morning skate today.

“It was an awesome experience, definitely an honor to be there with the players that were there and to be mentioned in the same category as those guys,” Blake said. “It’s a little overwhelming. It was great to have my family there. I brought my little guy [3-year-old Jackson] on the ice at the skills competition and let him play around a little. I brought him in the locker room. Overall, I wanted to share the experience with my family, and it was totally worth it.”

Two games before the break, Blake was accused of spearing Pittsburgh star Sidney Crosby, but Blake said Crosby brushed it off as nothing to be concerned about when he mentioned it briefly. “I’m not a dirty player, and he knows it,” Blake said.

As part of the All-Star events, Blake and Crosby were among the five players at a press conference for the unveiling of Reebok’s new NHL uniforms designed to be more aerodynamic and lightweight and to absorb far less moisture. Some players and fans are resistant to any change that might alter the traditional look of the game, but the effect wasn’t as dramatic as some might have expected and seems to fit with the high-speed style of hockey the NHL has encouraged.

Blake, for one, is a proponent of the uniforms. “They felt good,” Blake said. “I got a chance to wear them [at the 2006 Winter Olympics] in Torino, when Nike made them, and I liked them then. It’s lighter, it breathes better, and it doesn’t absorb water. The most important thing is, if a player feels better on the ice, he’s probably going to play better. At least, he feels he’s going to play better. I like it. Some guys might have a different opinion, but in the new NHL, we’re trying to move forward and this is just another step in the right direction.”

The All-Star Game also gave Blake a chance to get to know his Eastern Conference teammates much better. He seemed especially fond of Tampa Bay’s Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier, calling them “great, great guys.” The three of them rode together in a car from the hotel to the arena. They were greeted by a crowd of at least 5,000 fans lining a red-carpet walkway, where they were introduced and interviewed before signing autographs for many of the fans.

“Dallas should be very proud of how they put this All-Star Game together,” Blake said. “It was definitely first class. It was things you can only dream about. My dream came true.”

Reminded of the playoff push the Islanders have to make, starting tonight against the Thrashers, Blake smiled and said, “Back to reality, huh? It’s exciting to come back and get going again. We have 35 games left, and we’re two points out of eighth place. It’s very important for us to be ready to play and make sure we play our best hockey from here on out.”

KEYS TO THE PUSH: Nolan has spent much of this season experimenting with different power-play combinations. He had a lot of early success with Mike Sillinger, Blake and Yashin as the forwards on the top unit but lately has settled on Sillinger in front with Blake and Satan on the wings. As Sillinger explained it, “I think the coaching staff’s theory is we try and have one side work off the right and one side work off the left. Miro and Blake like to handle the puck, and I’m in front of the net. I think he’s trying to create a different setup on each side.”

No doubt, Yashin benefited from time off to help his recovery from a sprained right knee. He has only one goal in his past 15 games but played well in the Isles’ 3-2 win at Philadelphia before the break. “It’s good to have a few days off with my knee to get some rest so it can be [ready],” Yashin said. “So, it’s a lot of energy, and with 35 games left, we have to come out and play as hard as we can to get where we want to go.” Nolan spent some time in discussion with Yashin during the morning skate and said his knee should be 100 percent now. Asked if they spoke about the need for leadership on the ice, Nolan said, “I think subconsciously he knows. He doesn’t have to be reminded all the time about how he’s got to play. It just comes with the territory. It wasn’t talking about that. It was more, ‘Let’s enjoy this challenge and compete and have some fun.’ The best way for everyone to have fun is winning some hockey games.”

Just before they left on break, the Islanders spent a full practice session working with their mental coach on methods to stay focused on the present rather than getting caught up in big-picture issues. Nolan said mental toughness will be the key, especially because the Islanders know they are best when they stick to a defensive style that is aggressive but still disciplined. “We got back yesterday and revisited that message from the mental coach,” Nolan said. “Down the stretch, the team that maintains their focus shift by shift and game by game is the team that’s going to be there at the end.”

Considering the dire preseason forecasts for the Islanders, coach Ted Nolan is right when he says most fans gladly would have settled for one game over .500 at the All-Star break. But there’s a sense of disappointment, too, running through the organization because they were six games over .500 after beating the Rangers on Dec. 26 and in playoff position with a hot goaltender in Rick DiPietro.

All forward momentum was lost when they scored only one goal in the next three games and then suffered a horrible home loss to Philadelphia in the fourth game of what became a six-game losing streak. Now, they’re on the outside looking in again, facing an uphill battle for a playoff spot against teams that generally seem to have more talent, skill and speed on the top two lines.

The lack of a powerful scoring punch has forced Nolan to focus his efforts on tightening the defense while relying on a physical, grinding style that wears down opponents but leaves only a small margin for error. That’s why special teams play has become the critical determining factor in the Islanders’ success. When they equal or surpass their opponents’ number of power-play goals in a game, the Islanders are 16-5-2 compared to 6-16-2 when outscored on the power play. The Isles rank sixth in the NHL while playing at even strength.

With all that in mind, let’s break down some of the major concerns facing the Islanders:

LACK OF SCORING: At the moment, Alexei Yashin (13 goals) and Miroslav Satan (13) are on pace for 20-25 goals apiece. If they pick up the pace, it would solve a lot of problems. And the Isles can’t afford to have All-Star Jason Blake (24) or Viktor Kozlov (16) and Mike Sillinger (15) slack off after productive starts.

Although the Islanders have been involved in a lot of games decided by one or two goals, that’s deceptive to a certain degree. In 11 of their 21 regulation losses, the Isles trailed by three or more goals at some point. Three times, they narrowed the gap to one goal and one other time they drew within two. In several of the two-goal losses, they failed to really threaten.

TIME TO CALL BRIDGEPORT FOR HELP?: Robert Nilsson’s skill level impressed some in the locker room last season, and Jeff Tambellini has backed up his outstanding training camp by leading the Sound Tigers in scoring. But based on their actions, Nolan and general manager Garth Snow either are committed to letting the kids develop or simply don’t believe they are ready to make a major contribution to a playoff push.

Remember, this is a new regime. They want to win now, but as Nolan said, they also want to build a solid foundation for the future. Nilsson and Tambellini lately have started to click in Bridgeport with center Frans Nielsen, who left a favorable impression in his two-game stint with the Isles when Shawn Bates was injured. Blake Comeau also is making progress. Is a short-term gamble worth it? If one of them came up and flopped, would it ruin his trade value? Consider everything.

SPECIAL TEAMS MUST IMPROVE: The power play succeeded in the Isles’ last win in Philadelphia, Sillinger said, because they established the point shot and then created traffic in front of the net. It sounds simple enough, but Sillinger said the natural tendency is to want to pass the puck around the perimeter, looking for the perfect opening. As long as they’re in control of the puck, the Islanders look good on the power play. But if there’s a question of control, they lose too many battles, and they often make the mistake of trying diagonal cross-ice passes when they enter the offensive zone, leading to turnovers.

In some ways, the penalty-killing unit is a greater problem than the power play. The fact that the Isles have only three short-handed goals this season is an indication of their lack of aggressiveness. On their last visit to Carolina, the Hurricanes’ penalty-killers just smothered the Islanders’ power play by aggressively attacking the points and making it almost impossible to set up. Too often, the Islanders’ penalty-killing forwards stand still and wait, reacting to the opponents’ passes and eventually leaving the goaltenders exposed to open shots. Improve the penalty kill, and it will keep the Isles in a lot more games.

PAST TRADES: Since trading Alexei Zhitnik and Mike York to Philadelphia for Freddy Meyer and Randy Robitaille, the Isles have gone 7-9-1, but the notion of a cause-and-effect relationship doesn’t stand up. The cause of the Islanders’ slide was the scoring slump that precipitated their six-game losing streak. York has been so bad with the Flyers that his ice time has been measured in single digits the past four games. Robitaille cited an adjustment period for his slow start and said, “When I have my confidence, I’m a totally different player.” His confidence appears to be growing, and he’s starting to get comfortable with Kozlov and Satan.

Despite a poor game recently in Pittsburgh, Meyer has a plus-two rating, and Nolan and Snow like the physical edge he brings. Snow suggested Meyer could develop into a more mobile version of Sean Hill, which, if it happened, would be tremendous. The jury’s out on that one, but whether or not the Isles use the $5 million of salary-cap space that was created by these deals, it’s hard to disagree with Snow that they represent an upgrade on their own merits.

FUTURE TRADES: Judging by the speed with which Snow moved on the Zhitnik and York deals, it’s safe to say he would have made a trade for offensive help by now if a good deal had presented itself. Trade rumors finally are starting to percolate across the league and they likely will accelerate during the All-Star break. But since every GM discusses hundreds of scenarios, more than 90 percent of the rumors will be false. Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Columbus and Chicago are the most likely sellers right now. If St. Louis and Phoenix regress again, they could join that bunch. Flyers center Peter Forsberg has been mentioned recently in connection with the Rangers, but you have to be leery of his recurring foot problems. In four games against the Islanders, he has one point and hasn’t looked anything like his old self. Frederik Modin and Anson Carter haven’t done much with the Blue Jackets but are headed for free agency and certainly will be among the players discussed around the league.

If the Islanders decide to make a move, keep in mind that they are building a team to Nolan’s specifications. He began this season hoping to play like Buffalo’s high-speed attack and then was forced to adjust to a more defensive style suited to his personnel. Eventually, he might acquire the speed and skill to play a run-and-gun game, but those qualities alone aren’t enough to play for Nolan or Nilsson might have made the team in training camp. Grit and a competitive fire are prerequisites for any player the Islanders target.

And by the way, that’s why I take Snow at face value when he says the Islanders want to re-sign Blake even though they have yet to make an offer. Blake has the edge Nolan likes to go with his speed and skill. It’s hard to imagine the Isles letting Blake go unless he wants to leave. If Snow and Nolan can make a major move in the trade market to build a serious playoff contender, it will give Blake that much more reason to remain with the Islanders beyond this season.

FINAL PROGRAM NOTE: I’m off until the Islanders return to practice next Thursday, when I have to file a story and catch a flight to Atlanta. So, unless some newsworthy event occurs during All-Star week, my next blog likely will come from Atlanta on Friday after the morning skate.

If you’re at .500, you’re nowhere in the modern NHL bonus points system, and that’s where the Islanders are at after going 2-8-1 in their past 11 to fall to 21-21-4. Their final game before the All-Star break is tonight against Philadelphia, and it’s a must-win type of game against the last place team in the Eastern Conference if the Islanders want to maintain their fading playoff hopes.

Having already lost twice at home to the Flyers, there certainly are no guarantees. Here’s the daunting reality. The Isles play the Flyers three times in their next 17 games, and those are the only games in that stretch in which the Islanders could reasonably be considered the favorite. When they return from the break, they face a Murderer’s Row list of opponents: at Atlanta, home against Buffalo and Detroit and then road games at Atlanta, Montreal and Washington before a home game against Philly.

Squandering their 19-13-3 start was a killer. Considering the Islanders’ recent difficulties scoring (14 goals in the nine losses in the past 11 games), coach Ted Nolan devoted a 30-minute meeting before yesterday’s practice to defensive zone coverage. For a team that must rely on defense and goaltending, there have been far too many turnovers, and the opposition has scored all too easily on rebounds and backdoor plays.

“We just have to keep going over and over again the small details of our game,” Nolan said after the meeting on Wednesday. “We worked on a lot of our defensive zone coverage. I think we’re in good position when teams get one shot, but we’re in bad position for the second and third shots. That’s an area we have to improve. Our defensive zone coverage is more will than skill. We have to battle a little bit harder. Let our goaltenders stop the first shot, but they can’t stop the second and third rebounds.”

Asked if there also was some soul-searching in the meeting after giving up three third-period goals in Tuesday’s 5-2 loss in Pittsburgh, Nolan said, “It was Xs and Os and soul-searching,” Nolan said. “As a coaching staff, we have to keep giving players information to make them better. But you can only take the horse to the well. The horse has to bend over and drink once in awhile. If we do what we’re asked to do, we should be okay. If we’re giving the wrong information, then, it’s our fault as a coaching staff. We spent a lot of time on video and a lot of time asking ourselves if we’re doing enough to help the team win on an individual basis and collectively.”

Nolan obviously was pleased that top defenseman Radek Martinek returned to the lineup after sitting out only 19 days with a broken foot. “When Radek went down, the doctor said four to six weeks. We figured it would be two to three weeks,” Nolan said with a smile. “That’s the type of guy he is. He was a little bit rusty [in Pittsburgh], but that’s to be expected. The more games he plays, the more he gets his timing back, he’s going to get back to playing like the Martinek of old in a very short time.”

Martinek’s return gives the Isles their top four veterans, also including Brendan Witt, Sean Hill and Tom Poti, plus some combination of youngsters Bruno Gervais, Freddy Meyer and Chris Campoli. Nolan clearly is committed to developing Gervais, who suffered a sprained ankle against the Penguins but is hoping to play against the Flyers. Campoli was in the press box as a healthy scratch in Pittsburgh but also could be back in the lineup because Meyer played poorly.

“I talked to Campoli,” Nolan said regarding the scratch. “It has nothing to do with his play of late. He’s been doing everything we asked him to do. Sometimes, it’s just a numbers thing and the chemistry of the team and how you respond to it. If Bruno can go, Bruno’s definitely in. But there could be a strong possibility Campy could still be in.”

No matter who is on the ice, the Islanders must cut down on turnovers. As Witt said after one recent loss: “We’re turning the puck over a lot at the blue lines. When it comes down to this late in the season, those pucks need to go in [at the offensive end], and those pucks [at the defensive end] need to go out. Those are battle conditions. Come playoff time, those are crucial areas we’ve got to get better at.”

Or, there will be no playoff time for the Islanders.

NOLAN NOTES: The Islanders’ coach indicated his feeling that Jason Blake’s recent scoring slump is linked directly to that of linemate Alexei Yashin when he compared Blake’s situation to that of Miro Satan. “When Miro wasn’t scoring, it wasn’t Miro by himself,” Nolan said. “His linemates have to contribute. Blake’s the same thing. He’s a winger. He needs people around him to feed him the puck.”…At the same time, Nolan said Yashin’s effort improved the past two games, which included a goal against Tampa Bay on Monday. “He didn’t get any numbers [at Pittsburgh], but he battled harder,” Nolan said of Yashin. “There was one situation in the second period where he outbattled two guys for the puck and walked in and had a great chance to score. You can just see it in the last couple games, he’s starting to get his old form back, and once he gets his form back, it’s going to make Blake much better.”…Nolan defended Blake’s chippy play against Penguins star Sidney Crosby. Pens coach Michel Therrien accused Blake of spearing and trying to hurt Crosby at the end of the game. “Blake always plays a chippy, aggressive game,” Nolan said. Referring to a situation in the first period when a hit by Witt led to a fight with Ryan Malone and several other Penguins, Nolan added, “Witt has a good, open-ice, clean hit, and all of a sudden, three guys jump him. If he hit Chris Thorburn, I don’t think you’re going to get the same reaction. I think everybody is fair game on the ice. Unfortunately, if you hit so-called ‘star’ players, everything gets blown out of whack. Blake’s hit almost every player in this league, but it doesn’t get the attention because it’s not Crosby. When Crosby speaks, people want to hear about it and want to listen to it. If he wants to complain, people are going to listen, but Blake plays that style against everybody in the league.”…Backup goaltender Mike Dunham got the dreaded “just okay” assessment from Nolan after giving up a bad goal to Erik Christensen that made it 4-2 in the third period. “Mike was a little bit rusty,” Nolan said. “He hadn’t played in a long time, but that’s the job of a backup goaltender to make sure he’s ready and he’s sharp when he’s called upon. Maybe the fourth goal was really his thing. Outside that, he did okay.”

On Valentine’s Day, Viktor Kozlov will turn 32 in the middle of his 12th NHL season. But Islanders coach Ted Nolan says it’s not too late for Kozlov to realize his immense potential to develop into a player capable of scoring 30 goals or more.

In an attempt to develop more scoring from the second line, Nolan recently moved Kozlov back to center with wingers Miroslav Satan and Randy Robitaille because Kozlov had been so productive at center when Alexei Yashin was out of the lineup with a knee injury. Kozlov says he prefers to play on the wing, but the bulk of his 15 goals this season have come from the middle of the ice.

Nolan’s latest decision to move Kozlov paid immediate results on Tuesday against the Rangers when Kozlov scored the winning goal in a 5-3 game while coming down the left side of the slot to receive a pass from Robitaille. The shot was timed so perfectly that it virtually froze Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, who had no chance to stop it from hitting the top left corner of the net.

In Thursday’s game at Boston, Kozlov scored the power-play goal that sent the game to overtime when he walked out of the corner and skimmed a shot from the lower left circle under Bruins netminder Hannu Toivonen. It was a move assistant coach Dan Lacroix had worked on with Kozlov that very morning at the skate.

In Kozlov’s best season, he scored 22 goals with Florida in 2002-03, but the Islanders’ coaching staff, like the Devils’ coaches before them, believes Kozlov can score consistently if he will just shoot more.

“What I feel and what he feels are two different things, but if he gets himself in position to shoot the puck, there’s not too many goaltenders who can stop that puck unless it hits them,” Nolan said of Kozlov before the Boston game. “If he gets in position to shoot the puck, he could turn himself from a 15-20 goal scorer to a 30-40 goal scorer. Even in practice, our goaltenders don’t know where the puck is going when he shoots.”

Kozlov’s 15 goals have come in the space of 10 games on just 36 shots. So, it’s just a matter of convincing Kozlov he needs to get his full share of shots per game. His goal against the Rangers came on his only shot in that game.

Asked if Kozlov can change at this late stage of his career, Nolan said, “No question. If you stop thinking you can get better, then, it’s time to pack up the skates and move on. You can get better and better if you have the desire to do so.

“I think if he puts his mind to come into a game trying to get five or six shots a game, he could probably score. Brett Hull was always one of the top shooters in the business and look at his goal production. If you have 400 shots and score on 10 percent, you’ll score 40 goals.”

So far this season, Kozlov has 15 goals on 93 shots, a rate of 16.1 percent. Do the math, Viktor.

Maybe in training camp, Islanders fans would have settled for mediocre coming from where the franchise was last season and reeling from a summer of management upheaval. As much success as coach Ted Nolan had in Buffalo, he had to go through a sub-.500 first season with the Sabres before winning a division title and the coach of the year award in 1996-97. Should fixing the Islanders be any less difficult? No.

But the way the Islanders recovered from their 0-3 start that looked downright inept to reach a point six games over .500 with the help of three wins over the Rangers inspired unbridled optimism. Six losses later, things look very different from 13th place in the Eastern Conference.

Sure, one good winning streak can shoot a team upward quickly in the tightly bunched East. But more importantly, the losing streak has revealed weaknesses that were there all along: the lack of secondary scoring, a poor power play, inconsistent penalty killing, periodic bouts with a loss of discipline in the defensive zone.

The decision by coach Ted Nolan to bench captain Alexei Yashin for a period at Carolina is troubling, too, because of its potential to blow up into something bigger. If Nolan had one primary mission when he took over, it was to motivate Yashin and put him in position to start getting the most of his elite-level talent.

As I wrote the day of the opener, if Yashin can’t get it done under Nolan and shed his reputation as an underachiever, then, there have been strong indications owner Charles Wang would consider buying out the remaining four years of his contract. That hasn’t changed.

What did change was Yashin’s wonderful performance and his work ethic in tandem with high-energy linemate Jason Blake to begin the season. Yashin doesn’t like to equate his scoring with his effectiveness, but the fact is that in the first 22 games before he suffered a sprained right knee, he had only five games without a point and never more than one at a time. Then, he scored in five straight after his return before going scoreless in his past six.

Nolan is right when he says your best players have to play like your best players consistently to win in the NHL, and it would be nice if Yashin could embrace the idea that his points and those produced by his line are a reflection of his effectiveness. Where he sees circumstances working against him – teammates not finishing plays he has created or goaltenders making big saves or a knee that isn’t 100 percent – Nolan sees a need for more mental and physical toughness and greater determination.

But it’s also a fact that the Islanders basically have been a team whose offense has been dominated by one line, the Yashin-Blake line. It’s no secret who opponents have to stop. Mike Sillinger has produced steadily, but Miroslav Satan is having an off year by his standards, and Viktor Kozlov’s burst of scoring mostly was confined to the eight-game stretch when Yashin was injured. Mike York’s play was so weak he got himself traded. Trent Hunter and Andy Hilbert’s numbers could be better.

The point is the Islanders’ problems go beyond Yashin, and while he must be accountable as captain to lead, he shouldn’t be the scapegoat for everything that has gone wrong lately. For instance, how far would a 20-goal second half by Satan go toward producing a playoff berth? What would happen if Kozlov started putting the puck on net consistently? How many times have Hilbert and Richard Park failed to finish at the end of hustling plays? Where’s Randy Robitaille?

Here is a look at other key areas at the midpoint:

ACQUIRING ANOTHER SCORER: General manager Garth Snow did a good job clearing $5 million of cap space to position the Islanders to pick up some scoring at the trade deadline. Now, he has to finish the job. Does he go for a playmaker like Doug Weight (if he waives his no-trade clause) or a power forward like Bill Guerin who could stand in front of the net on the power play? Does he rent a player or get someone for the long term? What does he give up?

ROLE PLAYERS: Nolan’s style of rolling four lines has maximized the value of the Islanders’ role players and given them more of a stake in the team’s success. When the fourth line consisted of Arron Asham, Shawn Bates and Park, they made a consistent impact with their hustle and toughness to the point that all have earned bigger roles from time to time. Chris Simon obviously is slowing down but he still has a scoring touch and the will to hit and can be effective in a limited role.

DEFENSE: The loss of Radek Martinek for up to four weeks with a broken foot is a serious blow. Nolan said Martinek is as important to the defense as Yashin is to the offense, and he was particularly effective with tough guy Brendan Witt as his partner. Now, Witt is paired with Sean Hill, and while their speed is open to question, their toughness and leadership are invaluable. If Martinek were healthy, the Islanders wouldn’t miss the consistency of Alexei Zhitnik nearly as much as they have since his trade to Philadelphia. But Freddy Meyer, who came back in the trade and finally made his debut at Carolina showed some promise in his first game as an Islander.

Almost overlooked has been Tom Poti. He has the occasional bad game, where a glaring error winds up in the net, but he’s sixth in the NHL in blocked shots and leads the Islanders in ice time while playing a variety of roles and partnering young Bruno Gervais. It will be interesting to follow the fortunes of Gervais, a Nolan favorite who’s increasing boldness on offense sometimes leaves him out of position, and Chris Campoli, who is fighting for his future with the Islanders. He has looked good paired at the points with Poti on the power play, but he has a ways to go to gain Nolan’s trust in his own end despite solid numbers so far.

GOALTENDER FOR LIFE: As much as Rick DiPietro might argue otherwise, it appeared to take some time for him to get used to the attention generated by his 15-year contract. Two of his three starts were rough on the opening road trip as he tried to play through a groin injury, and he was booed at home for a series of giveaways in a home loss to Atlanta. But he has gotten better and better, and for the most part, the communication between DiPietro and the defense has improved. His back-to-back shutouts against Columbus and the Rangers around Christmas were the high point, and he pretty much got robbed in the shutout losses that followed at Ottawa and home against the Devils.

When DiPietro minimizes the distractions – that is to say, when he doesn’t get caught fighting for the puck behind the net, doesn’t get caught up arguing with the referees and doesn’t get upset with the defensive breakdowns in front of him – he’s tough to beat. If his emotions sometimes get the best of him, they also are the source of the resilience he’s shown on a number of occasions this season.

But just as backup goaltender Mike Dunham stole two points at Anaheim on that opening trip and steadied the ship until DiPietro recovered from his injury, the Islanders need DiPietro to steady them now and maybe steal a game or two until they start finding the net again. If DiPietro maintains the same consistency he’s achieved lately and Snow can add a little more scoring to the lineup, they may yet finish this season in surprising fashion.

Another title for this blog after my upbeat assessment of the Islanders’ progress to start the New Year might have been “Oops.” Or maybe “Famous Last Words.”

But that’s the beauty of sports. You can’t predict what might happen. Now, the Isles have lost five straight, heading to Carolina to play the defending Stanley Cup champion Hurricanes Saturday night, and they are having frightening difficulty finding the net.

To make matters worse, Miroslav Satan, who has spent most of this season wondering what happened to his scoring touch, has an ankle injury so swollen that he kept it in ice today because he couldn’t get on the ice to practice. And Shawn Bates suffered a hand injury against the Devils that will force him to miss at least the Carolina game.

Both came back from those first-period injuries in Thursday’s 4-3 loss to the Devils to complete the game, and coach Ted Nolan was grateful for the effort. “Both of them were hurting,” Nolan said. “Bates’ hand was so swollen he could barely hold the stick, and Satan could barely get his foot in the boot. It was pretty gutsy of them to come back and play.”

As a result of those injuries and an earlier broken right foot that sidelined defenseman Radek Martinek for up to four weeks, the Islanders made two roster moves yesterday. Defenseman Allan Rourke, who was called up as the emergency replacement for Martinek, returned to Bridgeport and was replaced by Freddy Meyer, who has been nursing a back injury since he was acquired as part of the deal for Alexei Zhitnik on Dec. 16. To replace Bates, the Isles called up Frans Nielsen, who will become the first Dane to play in the NHL.

With Martinek out, the activation of Meyer will give Nolan a chance to see both him and Chris Campoli together to evaluate which can help the most with their speed and offensive ability. Meyer is said to have an edge to his game, and Campoli certainly has shown his toughness and has delivered some big checks since being called up.

Maybe this is a chance for management to assess some of its prospects before trying to make a deal for veteran offensive help before the Feb. 27 trade deadline. Ultimately, management’s commitment to winning this season will be judged by what the Isles do at the trade deadline. That will tell the story about whether the decision to trade away Alexei Zhitnik and Mike York was a straight salary dump or truly a move to clear cap space to get what the Islanders need to make a legitimate playoff run.

Snow has emphasized owner Charles Wang’s willingness to use his resources to put together a winner. We’ll see.

Yes, the players in the locker room now obviously have the ability to produce enough scoring to win because that’s how they got to 19-13-3 before this losing streak. Still, it’s clear the Islanders need one more proven scorer to spread the offensive load, improve the power play and give them the firepower to compete, especially if Satan doesn’t get going on a consistent basis.

Once the Islanders get past the top line combination of Jason Blake and Alexei Yashin, it’s hard to say where the goals will come from. Mike Sillinger has been pretty consistent and might be developing the chemistry to get Andy Hilbert going, but that’s about it. Viktor Kozlov and Satan have been streaky, and Trent Hunter has evolved into more of a defensive forward.

Many fans obviously want to tap Bridgeport’s roster, but the Sound Tigers haven’t been lighting it up either, and they also have been ineffective on the power play. Who exactly is banging down the door in Bridgeport to be called up? Maybe Jeff Tambellini, who has 17 goals and a ton of speed, but where does he fit?

Let’s play a little rotisserie hockey. Put your suggestions in the box, using only Islanders and players from Bridgeport to form four lines. Here’s mine: Blake-Yashin-Hunter, Tambellini-Sillinger-Satan, Kozlov-Richard Park-Hilbert, Chris Simon-Bates-Arron Asham with Randy Robitaille as a scratch.

If the 2006 portion of the Islanders’ 2006-07 schedule proved anything, it’s that new coach Ted Nolan didn’t lose his touch for motivating people or recognizing how to use the talent at his disposal during his nine seasons away from the NHL. No matter what else happens this season, Nolan’s presence alone should give Islanders fans reason for hope in the future.

But now that the Isles have far exceeded the low preseason expectations for them, it’s the present that matters most. New Years Day is a turning point on the NHL calendar, and the Islanders came out of it on a three-game losing streak in which they scored only one goal and dropped out of playoff position.

However, this three-game losing streak feels a lot different than the one that began the season. Islanders goaltender Rick DiPietro played very well in all three games, and while it’s disappointing they aren’t in better position in the standings, the Isles have shown the ability to compete with the top teams in the NHL.

But maybe that’s the truth to be derived from this recent slump. As good as the Isles have been, they’re going to need to be better and more consistent to remain in the playoff hunt in a conference with tremendous depth and talent from top to bottom.

Winger Miroslav Satan, who played briefly for Nolan when he won coach of the year honors in Buffalo during the 1996-97 season, claimed he’s not surprised by the Islanders’ success, but he did express a sense of relief that the Nolan era has started so well.

“I’m glad,” Satan said. “Everybody within this organization always knew we had the potential with a few changes over the summer and with Teddy coming in and putting the puzzle together. It’s definitely a better feeling for all of us to see we’ve had quite a good result, and we want to improve it before the end of the season.

“We feel we definitely can beat anybody. The last couple games, we didn’t score goals, but most of the games, we feel we always have a chance.”

Although Nolan hoped to fashion a fast-break offense similar to Buffalo’s, he quickly adjusted to the personnel and became more defense-oriented. Now, the Isles rank 10th in goals-against average and fourth in save percentage.

Clearly, they need to improve their playmaking on the league’s 23rd-ranked power play, and they desperately need more scoring punch that general manager Garth Snow said he would seek after clearing more than $5 million of salary-cap space. Nolan was non-committal when asked recently if he would like to see Snow pull the trigger on a deal sooner rather than later.

“We’ll talk behind closed doors, but my No. 1 focus has always been working with the players I’ve got right here,” Nolan said. “Make them the best they can be. If we do something, that would be good to make us better. If not, we’ve got what we feel is good enough right now. We’ve played every team in the league tough, and I don’t see that changing.”

Following Tuesday’s home game against Philadelphia, the Islanders play 12 of their next 17 games on the road. Over the next two months, the Flyers and Tampa Bay are the only teams the Islanders play that currently have losing records, and the Lightning is just one game under .500. So, it’s a tough row for the Islanders to hoe, but Nolan has his players believing they can play with anyone in the NHL.

“Trying to build a unit has been our No. 1 focus since we went to Yarmouth,” Nolan said. “Are we ahead of schedule? I’m not too sure if we’re ahead, but we’re right on schedule. These guys are genuinely starting to care for one another. They’re playing for one another. They seem united. So, that aspect is good, and now, you throw in systems and they’re starting to buy into that and they’re playing for one another, which is a great sign for any team.”

Right up until their recent goal-scoring funk, the Islanders have looked a like a dangerous team that could cause trouble for any playoff opponent in the Eastern Conference short of Buffalo and maybe Montreal. “I’m a strong believer in anything can happen,” Nolan said. “I’m a strong believer in ordinary people can do extraordinary things if they believe and work.

“Believing is one thing, but when you work and you have a passion and a commitment, strange things can happen. I believe anybody can beat anybody on a given night, and if you put a string together and it becomes routine and systematic and your approach stays the same on a continuous basis, strange things can happen. These guys believe we can beat anybody on any given night anywhere we play them, whether it’s here or on the road.”