ANAHEIM, Calif. – It didn’t seem like the typical pre-game flattery, where teams shower opponents with praise both to avoid any bulletin-board material in the opposing dressing room and because the difference between victory and defeat in the NHL is often razor thin.
No, Dallas Eakins, in his first season as the Ducks coach, genuinely believes his struggling club should look to the Islanders as a model of success as a defensive-minded team that can “do it by committee,” rather than rely on a superstar.
The teams met on Monday night at Honda Center with the Islanders looking to extend their franchise record for points in consecutive games after Saturday night’s 2-1 overtime loss at San Jose pushed the streak to 15-0-2.