DETROIT – The yin to the Islanders’ yang of improving defensively under Barry Trotz was not supposed to be a total drop-off in offensive production. The new coach wants to coax solid two-way performances from his players.
Yet the Islanders have just eight goals in their current 1-3-1 slide, bringing a two-game losing streak into Saturday night’s game against the Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena.
The Islanders (13-11-3), who did not practice on Friday, opened this two-game road trip with a lackluster 6-2 loss at Pittsburgh on Thursday night. The power play went 0-for-2 with three shots, extending its drought to 0-for-19 over the past nine games and 4-for-48 in their last 16 games.