"Mark Streit has followed up his All-Star performance from a season ago, when he scored a career-high 16 goals for the Islanders, with a slow start this season.

And the 31-year-old Swiss defenseman is still trying to figure out why that's the case.

"Maybe I'm trying to do a little too much out there sometimes," said Streit, who heads into tonight's game in Washington with just one goal -- and none since opening night, a span of 10 games.

"I don't know why, I'm just not where I want to be," Streit said. "I'm not happy about it, but sometimes in every athlete's career, it doesn't work the way the you want it and all you can do is bury your head and keep working, do the little things right. That's what you're gonnaconcentrate on."

And while there yet haven't been any tangible results, coach Scott Gordon has seen a difference.

"His last three games have been a lot better," Gordon said after practice yesterday. "He's had more opportunities than in the previous eight games combined and that's encouraging to me. Eventually, those chances will start going in." "