This is a difficult time for Islanders fans as their club has endured its longest losing streak in 20 years. Yes, John Tavares was not even born the last time the Islanders went winless this many times in a row, which took place back in 1990.

The Isles have lost 13 straight games, an embarrassing baker’s dozen of defeats that has seen the team outscored 48-18. Goal scoring has been a huge problem. The team has scored two or fewer goals in 11 straight games and is 0-for-24 on the power play over their last six contests. Obviously, this is not a recipe for success.

The slump has already cost Coach Scott Gordon his job with Jack Capuano taking over behind the bench on an interim basis. The Isles are 0-2-1 under Capuano so far, although the new coach is still getting a feel for his players and what he can expect from them.

This winless streak has been hard on a young Islanders team and the locker room almost feels more like a funeral home these days.

Take Rick DiPietro’s comments after Sunday’s overtime loss to Atlanta. “If I can say one thing, throughout this whole thing is guys care,” DiPietro said. “I hope people realize that. This eats at us. This isn’t fun for anybody. It keeps guys up at night and makes us sick to our stomachs. This is unacceptable for us. We want to start winning some games. We came in to this season with the credo that there would be no excuses and we’re not going to make any.”

After Saturday’s loss to the Panthers, Dwayne Roloson challenged his teammates. “As a team, we need to take it upon ourselves and just look at ourselves in the mirror and look at ourselves and say have we done enough to win a hockey game tonight,” Roloson said. “Whether it’s blocking shots or getting sticks in lanes, stopping a puck that’s on the line or going to the net and getting one in off your butt that goes into the net to try to change the way this thing is going right now.”

If Islanders fans think the coaching change is the end of Garth Snow’s moves, they are most likely very mistaken. Expect Snow to make some moves to shake up this team. As Capuano said, there are “too many passengers” on this team and Snow will seek to move some of them to improve the situation.

There are a few players who are untouchable. The young nucleus of the team will be staying: John Tavares, Josh Bailey and Kyle Okposo are not going anywhere. Neither are prospects like Calvin de Haan and Nino Niederreiter. Matt Moulson has been all heart and the team’s most consistent goal scorer. Mark Streit is the Isles best defenseman and it would make no sense to trade him now when he is hurt and the team couldn’t get value in return for him. No team would assume Rick DiPietro’s contract even if the Isles did want to trade him.

Other than that, anybody and everybody on the roster may very well be free game. A big and dramatic move would be preferable right now because this team desperately needs to be shaken up—the atmosphere needs to change in a big way.

The Isles biggest need now is goal scoring. Through 19 games, Matt Moulson has eight goals and John Tavares has seven, but no other Islander has more than four. Sure, Okposo will help when he gets healthy again, but that may not be until late December of even January. Even so, the club needs more scoring than any one player can provide.

On defense, the Isles have been decimated by injuries. Streit hasn’t suited up all year. Milan Jurcina remains out as do Andrew MacDonald and Jack Hillen. Mike Mottau got hurt in the game against Atlanta when he took a puck to the face and his long term status is still not known. The team’s overall lack of depth means they can use help on defense too, at least until some or all of their injured players return.

Expect Garth Snow to make a move soon. His team is hurting and it obviously needs a shake up. Snow will not sacrifice his long term rebuilding program, but something needs to be done to improve this team right now. As bad as things are going right now, the situation isn’t hopeless. The last time the Islanders were winless in 14 straight games was February and March of 1990. They did manage to somehow sneak into the playoffs that year. You see, stranger things have happened.