Josh Bailey of the Islanders celebrates his second period goal against the Arizona Coyotes with teammates Brock Nelson and Anthony Beauvillier at NYCB Live on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019. Photo Credit: Jim McIsaac
OTTAWA, Ontario — The numbers through nine games were, in a word . . . well, let Barry Trotz tell it:
“Shocking,” the Islanders coach said before Friday night’s game against the Senators at Canadian Tire Centre. “We’re not exactly a timid team.”
The statistic in question was the Islanders’ man-advantage opportunities, which were so paltry as to be difficult to believe, especially for a team with a five-game winning streak.