BUFFALO — One of the only things that never quite got going for the Islanders during their six-game winning streak was the power play.
That finally caught up to them Monday night, when an 0-for-5 performance at five-on-four was the catalyst in a 3-0 loss to the Kings — the Isles’ first defeat since Feb. 24 — but the struggles weren’t new.
Over their past 10 games, the Islanders have converted just five of 33 chances on the power play — 15.15 percent.
Collectively, however, they feel the issues on display Monday are easily correctable.
“I like to have a little more net presence. I like to move the puck a little quicker,” coach Patrick Roy said after the team practiced Wednesday at KeyBank Arena. “I feel like sometimes we slow down the play a little too much. If we could attack the net more, and when we had success, that’s what we’ve been doing.
“The goals that’s been scored, they’re coming from battles, attacking the pocket and then score goals. It’s not coming from tic-tac-toe. It’s a mindset where you need to get out of the box, and make sure you could just put pucks at the net and compete for rebounds. Most of our power-play goals have been scored that way.”
In other words: Stop trying to search for the perfect shot and just put the puck on net. The Sabres, whose penalty-kill ranks 20th in the league, should be an easier nut to crack compared to the Kings, who lead the NHL at four-on-five.
“I think we’re just slow at times,” Noah Dobson told The Post. “[The Kings] had a really good kill, they got really good structure. You really gotta move it quick and attack the net, and that’s where you get your chances, off those rebounds.”
“I just feel like we were slow with it. We weren’t as crisp. They just kept us to the outside, and we weren’t really able to get too much. It’s definitely something we know we gotta be a little bit better next game. I’m sure the guys will respond.”
Ilya Sorokin will start in goal for the Islanders on Thursday night, Roy said. … Matt Martin (lower body) was a full participant in practice and returned to his usual spot in line rushes to Kyle MacLean’s left after missing Monday’s loss to the Kings. But Roy declined to confirm he’ll be back in the lineup against the Sabres, continuing to call him day-to-day.
Robert Bortuzzo (lower body) did not join the team in Buffalo after missing the California leg of the four-game trip.
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