Islanders are a different team now

The last time the Islanders and Kings met, just more than three months ago, things were different.

A 5-1 loss at the end of a West Coast trip left the Isles winless in 10 straight. Two days later, it left Scott Gordon without a job.

Even after that ugly stretch, the Islanders have endured more insult, more injury and more ugliness than any team has a right to be put through. And they've survived.

No, more than that, they are a solid, cohesive team now, despite having a sixth different goaltender start for them in last night's 3-0 win over the Kings.

"That whole stretch, we were a different team then. We had a different attitude," Matt Moulson said. "We've changed a lot since then, just with our attitude, how we approach the game and how we respond during the game. We went through that and it kind of transformed us into a different team."

You cannot imagine how different. The Islanders dressed 20 players that November Saturday night in the Staples Center. Five are out for the season (counting Rick DiPietro) with injuries; two were traded and one, Jon Sim, was waived.

Michael Grabner was a struggling depth forward, trying to find his way. Andrew MacDonald was out with a broken hand. Travis Hamonic was in the minors. Al Montoya was in the minors, too, in the Coyotes' farm system.

And yet, even after winning just one of their first 11 games under Jack Capuano, the Islanders have gotten to last night: Montoya earning a shutout in his first start, with a still-patchwork defense clearing space and pucks in front.

The Isles are still the butt of jokes, still approached with condescension. Kings coach Terry Murray had this to say about the team that shut his squad out last night:

"The Islanders right now are in a very relaxed state. They're stretching guys out, they're leaving the zone early to try and make a play. There's no pressure, no consequences to anything they do. That's the easiest time of your life to play this game."

Grabner didn't score a goal, but he set up Frans Nielsen's shorthander to open the scoring. That tandem has become as important to the future of the Islanders as John Tavares and Moulson, who also combined for a goal.

Since the 1-17-3 skid that cost Gordon his job finally ended on Dec. 16, the Islanders are 17-12-2. It's not the miraculous 15-1-2 run by the Devils that has the entire NHL wondering if Jersey can make it back from the dead into a playoff spot, but it's a remarkable turnaround nonetheless, and has the Isles 13 points from eighth in the East.

Montoya, the throwaway warm body that the Isles needed just to fill out a lineup card after Kevin Poulin went down, could be a part of the organization going forward. He was discarded by the Rangers and Coyotes, but he was superb last night; if this organization needs anything, it's goaltenders, as this season has showed.

But they have Grabner, Nielsen, Moulson, Tavares, MacDonald and Hamonic as the young core of talent. They have veteran defensemen Mark Streit, Mike Mottau and Mark Eaton and Milan Jurcina back for next season. Poulin as well.

And perhaps even Capuano, the coach who appeared to have no chance to get the interim tag removed when he took over. The Islanders are 18-20-3 under him and playing and thinking in a different manner.

His response to Murray: "If it was that easy to play against, maybe they should have beaten us."