The New York Islanders dropped both games of their back-to-back set this week, falling 3-1 to the Anaheim Ducks at home on Tuesday, before being shut out by the Columbus Blue Jackets yesterday. The losses mark a three-game skid for the Islanders and a 1-4-0 record over their last five games.
3-1 Loss to Anaheim Ducks
I’ve already posted a full recap of the loss to the Ducks, which can be viewed below:
- ARTICLE: Lukas Dostal and improved power play lead Ducks to win over Islanders
But as a brief summary, the Islanders had their chances in the loss. They fell behind 2-0 off two power play goals from the Ducks by the end of the second period, but went on to outshoot Anaheim by a massive 41-22 margin in the game. Not all chances were of a really high caliber, and they gave up some pretty great opportunities at even strength as well, but the sheer volume of shots speaks for itself.
The Islanders did get one back in the third period off a power play goal of their own from Mathew Barzal, but despite a lot of pressure in the front half of the final frame, their momentum died down a little as the period went on. Then unable to come up with the tying goal, Frank Vatrano buried a late empty netter to cap off a win for the Ducks.
2-0 loss to Columbus Blue Jackets
Then heading into last night’s game in Columbus, Mathew Barzal and Maxim Tsyplakov swapped lines to start, while Hudson Fasching moved up to the third line, and Matt Martin came back into action in place of Pierre Engvall. Meanwhile, Semyon Varlamov got the start.
The Blue Jackets had a couple good early chances off a breakaway for Yegor Chinakhov, before a chance in front for Kevin Labanc, but both were stopped by Varlamov. Maxim Tsyplakov then had a good chance of his own later in the frame on a partial break, but he was denied.
Late in the first period, Damon Severson threw a shot on net from the point, and it found its way through traffic to seemingly open the scoring, but the goal was disallowed as a result of goalie interference.
New York came out better in the second period, and Hudson Fasching had a great chance to get the Islanders on the board but couldn't score. Zach Werenski and Cole Sillinger had near-misses for Columbus the other way, before Brock Nelson and Bo Horvat each had missed chances in-close as well.
The Islanders then had a power play chance late in the second frame, but couldn’t convert, and despite outplaying Columbus in the frame, the game remained scoreless.
The Blue Jackets managed to strike first in the third period though, when Damon Severson just threw the puck on net from a bad angle, and it went off Ryan Pulock and got by Varlamov to put Columbus ahead.
The Islanders didn’t have a ton of momentum in the third frame, but they did have a great chance from Mathew Barzal on a rebound in front, but he couldn’t convert. New York then pulled the goalie in the last couple minutes, but Justin Danforth buried an empty netter, leaving Columbus with the 2-0 win.
Takeaways
Between the two losses, and the back 40 minutes of the game against Florida, the Islanders have one goal over the last eight periods.
It’s not for a lack of trying: they completely outshot the Ducks on Tuesday, before getting some excellent chances in Columbus that they just couldn’t score. But while it’s often seemed as though the Islanders would get the goals if they kept generating the same quality of chances, those goals haven’t come yet. Now with four shutout losses in their first 10 games, and the loss to Anaheim where they were nearly shut out again, the lack of finishing is becoming a massive issue for New York.
Patrick Roy has tried shifting around lines to get his top forwards going, but nothing has turned into consistent results. Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat, who should arguably be the team’s top two offensive producers, each have five points in 10 games. Meanwhile, Brock Nelson has cooled off a little as well, and while these players have gotten their chances (and it’s seemed like Horvat in particular has narrowly missed countless excellent opportunities in the first 10 games of the year), the goals just aren’t coming right now.
They got the goaltending over the games as well. While Semyon Varlamov has been a little up and down this season, he was very good against the Blue Jackets, and Sorokin holds a .932 save percentage across five games.
Special teams aren't helping at all either, though. The Islanders’ power play has been operating at just 12.9 percent so far (29th in the NHL), while their penalty kill has been even worse, at just 62.5 percent (31st in the NHL).
Through just 10 games though, New York has squandered countless chances to pick up points. Whether it’s a blown lead like in the season-opening loss to Utah, or the games against weaker teams in Detroit, Anaheim and Columbus where they can’t buy a goal, the Islanders are quickly falling behind at a 3-5-2 record from games where they should be able to find a way to win.
They’ll be back in action tomorrow, when they face the Buffalo Sabres.
New York Islanders Blogger • 
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