The  Islanders' Kyle Palmieri after scoring a power-play goal against the...

The  Islanders' Kyle Palmieri after scoring a power-play goal against the Rangers on Tuesday.  Credit: AP/Frank Franklin II

The Islanders’ assertion all along, even if the analytics didn’t necessarily corroborate it, was that power-play chances were being created and it was just a matter of converting on the opportunities.

That’s certainly been the case of late as the Islanders are 5-for-14 (35.7%) on the man advantage over their last five games with a power-play goal in four of them.

They face the Coyotes on Thursday night at UBS Arena after stirring 4-3 comeback victories on successive nights — against the visiting Flames in overtime on Monday and over the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday — in which the power play has been the difference.

“I don’t know if you could pinpoint one thing,” Brock Nelson said about what’s changed. “I think maybe just a couple of cleaner passes, execution and trying to get those open looks. And then just capitalize on it. Get it to go in. I’ve had a couple of looks miss the net and it’s tough to score that way. It’s nice to get a couple and be different.”

Nelson scored the power-play equalizer against the Rangers as the Islanders (9-5-0), who have won seven of their last eight, rallied from a two-goal deficit entering the third period for a second straight game.

Kyle Palmieri notched a power-play goal in the first period against the Rangers as the Islanders scored twice on the man advantage for the second time this season. Defenseman Noah Dobson scored the overtime winner against the Flames on a four-on-three power play.

“We’ve talked about our power play getting some opportunities,” coach Lane Lambert said. “I think three days ago I said we might be having a different conversation if we had cashed in on a couple of those opportunities and we have cashed in on a couple of those opportunities. It’s really critical. They stepped up to the plate the last two nights and did a really great job.”

The Islanders still ranked 24th in the NHL on the power play at 8-for-42 (19.1%) entering Wednesday's games. And per Natural Stat Trick, the Islanders are still 21st in power-play high-danger chances with 23.

But, also per Natural Stat Trick, they are tied for 13th with 69 power-play shots and they improved from 22nd to 14th in expected goals on the power play at 9.55 with their 3-for-5 combined effort against the Flames and Rangers.

Lambert has altered his power-play personnel slightly, moving Jean-Gabriel Pageau from the second unit to the first along with Dobson, Nelson, Mathew Barzal and Anders Lee because of the center’s strong faceoff ability. Pageau won 20 of 25 draws against the Flames.

Pageau switched with Palmieri, who joined defenseman Ryan Pulock, Anthony Beauvillier, Josh Bailey and Zach Parise on the second unit. Palmieri’s goal against the Rangers was the first the Islanders have gotten from their second power-play unit.

“That’s big,” Palmieri said. “When you have two units that teams have to prepare for, it’s difficult. Not too many teams have fully loaded two units.”

More Islanders

Newsday LogoSUBSCRIBEUnlimited Digital AccessOnly 25¢for 5 months
ACT NOWSALE ENDS SOON | CANCEL ANYTIME