ISLES LEFT FOR RED
The Islanders’ season-best win streak had to end at some point. In this disappointing campaign, it isn’t surprising that point came so soon.
After defeating the defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins and winning on the road over the reigning Presidents’ Trophy-winning Capitals, the Islanders returned to Barclays Center on Sunday night and saw their threegame win streak snapped in overtime against the Red Wings, 4-3, in the first game of a three-game homestand.
The Islanders were sloppy, and struggled for large parts of the game, yet battled back from two separate deficits — tying the game on Josh Bailey’s goal with 4:21 left in the third period — to earn one point before Detroit’s Danny DeKeyser scored the game-winning goal 62 seconds into overtime.
“There’s no question that some guys had some bad games and the fact that we did and we still got the point is a good sign, but guys need to step up,” said Islanders coach Jack Capuano. “There are certain guys that are really struggling with their game right now and they need to find it. There’s no excuses. They’re getting ice time, they’re getting an opportunity, they just got to find their game within our game.”
The Islanders (9-10-5) struck first, on Anders Lee’s sixth goal of the season — set up on a pretty feed from Cal Clutterbuck — at 5:16 of the first period, but the home team would never lead again after former longtime Islander Frans Nielsen quieted the crowd that welcomed him so warmly, assisting Mike Green for the Red Wings’ first goal, with 7:07 left in the first period.
Early in the second period, the Islanders nearly retook the lead, but defenseman Dennis Seidenberg’s shot from the point hit the post, and soon the Red Wings (1211-3) took control of the pace and possession, keeping the Islanders buried in their own zone. After a Seidenberg turnover, Thomas Vanek found Green for his sec- ond goal, with 5:20 left in the second period.
“[This] was probably our weakest game in the last half-dozen or so,” Josh Bailey said. “We found a way to battle, but it shouldn’t have even gotten to that point.”
The Islanders looked dead, and the crowd sounded the same, until Johnny Boychuk tied the score less than two minutes into the third period with his fourth goal of the season, ripping a wrist shot past Petr Mrazek (32 saves).
For a moment, the win streak felt like it might be extended, after Green’s third goal was overturned on review due to goaltender interference on Luke Glendening with 13:28 left in the third period, but Henrik Zetterberg put Detroit ahead again with a deflection past Jaroslav Halak (30 saves) with 6:54 left in the third period.
One point would be salvaged. One streak would survive.
But after this slow start, singledigits aren’t going to get the Islanders back to the playoffs.
“Our attitude has been great, the work ethic and everyone staying on board ... believing in what we’re doing and in each other, especially right to the end,” captain John Tavares said. “Some good things but still room for improvement, and obviously, need the results.”