Isles Day-to-Day: PK Practice

The Islanders have allowed two power-play goals in four straight games and allowed power-play goals in each of their last six. So with the team's penalty kill in an extended slump, the Islanders took steps to address the issue at Friday's practice in Boston.
"You need to focus on it and not ignore it. We went to work, watched some video and we'll try to be better," head coach Doug Weight said on Friday.

That's what they did on Friday, holding a 45-minute PK meeting at TD Garden and then worked on it on the ice.
"We're going to figure out how to kill a penalty. Sometimes you have to learn again," Weight said after Thursday's game. "What's happening is pretty incredible right now. Five out of the last seven that 80 per cent of the kill is gone and we're saying they're frustrated, we're doing a great job and it's in our net on the first chance."

Weight said he believed in his personnel and practiced with his current shorthanded units. The coach felt his team put in a good effort at Friday's skate.
The Islanders slump has come at a bad time, playing the league's first and third-ranked power plays in their last two games. The Boston Bruins - Saturday's opponent - are 17th in the NHL and are 3-for-29 in their last 11 games. The Bruins do have power-play goals in two straight.

BOYCHUK MISSES PRACTICE:

Johnny Boychuk was the only Islander to not skate at Friday's practice. Boychuk also missed Thursday's game in Pittsburgh with what Weight described as a lingering ailment from Tuesday's loss in Tampa Bay.
Weight said Boychuk felt a little better today, but didn't want to irritate the injury by skating. The coach said his defenseman is currently 50/50 on playing on Saturday.