Bridgeport Islanders Defense Bad Without Isaiah George In Lineup – Hockey Writers – Bridgeport Islanders

A four-goal third period can be seen as an outlier or an anomaly, a hiccup in even the worst defense. It wasn’t like that. The Bridgeport Islanders allowed four goals in the third period in their loss on Nov. 9 on the Providence Bruins is part of the big problems with the defense.

Related: Bridgeport Islanders Defense Is Different But Still Bad

They allowed four goals in the third period and three in the second and lost 8-4. They allowed 11 goals against the Bruins, a team that entered the weekend averaging just 2.11 goals per game. On top of that, they’ve allowed 16 goals in their last three games and that’s why the defense is one of the worst in the American Hockey League (AHL), allowing 4.00 goals per game.

Some of this was expected. The Islanders finished in last place last season and struggled while doing so. They have some changes in defense and that comes with some adjustments. However, the unit has fallen and it’s partly due to talent, or lack of it on defense.

Isaiah George Leaves a Big Gap

The biggest call up to the NHL roster was Isaiah George. Along with Isaiah being the first to play in the NHL, he was a pleasant surprise for the New York Islanders. George proved himself to be a regular on defense in three games with 21:16 ice time and based on his performance, he is not returning to the AHL team.

George did not turn defense into strength – it was still difficult even when he was there. That being said, it prevented it from becoming an obvious weakness and an easy unit to pick apart as teams have done in recent games. In particular, his skating stood out as he was able to cut off opponents when running and prevent them from getting easy scoring opportunities in space.

The Bruins beat the Islanders a lot in the last game and it explains why they scored three goals in the span of a minute. The Islanders didn’t have the rushers to defend them in space and play passing routes. Without George, the defense has suffered a noticeable decline and there is no way to improve in sight.

It’s not just George

George is a top defenseman and based on his performance in the NHL, it’s easy to see why. However, losing George is only part of the problem. He was one of the few defensemen to leave the AHL roster and get a call up to the NHL.

Dennis Cholowski and Grant Hutton, the two mainstays of the defense in recent seasons, are also playing defense in the NHL that has ended. Cholowki was one of the team’s two best players last season and plays a small role on the NHL roster. Hutton, on the other hand, is a veteran who steps up to the defensive end of the ice and limits opponents from generating easy shots on net.

Suddenly, the Islanders defense is lacking. Instead of Calle Odelius playing the deep skater role, he was asked to lead the unit alongside Wyatt Newpower and Samuel Bolduc. The Islanders have been lacking in talent at the end of the ice but without two of this season’s key skaters and last season’s key player, this team is a mess.

Possible Adjustment of Islanders’ Defense

The loss to the Bruins, while brutal, showed the best of the defense. The forwards, who struggled to make too many mistakes before last night’s game, showed that they can hack. He can deliver solid hits and create turnovers, especially in the offensive zone.

The problem is that these forwards don’t drop back or skate back into the defense to help. Givers don’t power defenders and that’s why opposing teams often get odd-man turnovers. Furthermore, they don’t create changes in the defensive zone to stop the offense. Adding that element to their game will go a long way.

A good defense requires a full team effort when all three units step up. The NHL’s Florida Panthers are a good example and the AHL’s Hersey Bears, who won the Calder Cup in 2023 and 2024. Recent losses have shown that the Islanders are not only flawed but completely defenseless. It’s a long season but if the Islanders don’t know how to improve, the outlook is already looking bleak.