Isles at breaking point
WHILE MOST of the Islanders seemed quietly excited to get some rest over their 18-day Olympic break, Saturday night’s loss will leave a bitter taste.
The return of Travis Hamonic failed to bolster the defense for the Isles, who fell, 5-2, to the Avalanche at Nassau Coliseum in their last game before the Olympic break.
Colorado’s Matt Duchene scored twice in the second period to make it 3-0 entering the third. The Isles (22-30-8, 52 points) rebounded with power-play goals from John Tavares and Lubomir Visnovsky, but ultimately came up short after two empty-netters from Colorado (37-16-5) in the final minute.
“A lot of people have to look in the mirror and get better and I think it’s pretty much every one of us,” goaltender Evgeni Nabokov said. “We just have to dig in a little bit, get pissed off, get mad. I don’t care what we’ve got to do, but we’ve got to find it. Maybe we need to stop being nice to each other … but we have to find a way to win, that’s the bottom line.”
The Isles are 12 points out of a playoff spot and will have to make an exceptional run in their 22 remaining games to make the postseason. While a lengthy layoff for all but three players – Olympians Tavares, Michael Grabner and Thomas Vanek – should help them recharge, the time off also gives management time to mull over potential moves before the March 5 trade deadline.
Pending free agent Vanek, acquired from Buffalo in October in the Matt Moulson trade, is the most likely piece to be moved. But rumors have also swirled around defenseman Andrew MacDonald and Nabokov as the Isles are looking more like sellers.
“We realize the work we have ahead of us and the hole we’ve dug right now,” said Hamonic, who had missed 12 games with a concussion. “We know we have the group that’s capable of going out there and doing it.”
MAX’D OUT: Montreal LW Max Pacioretty left Saturday night’s win over Carolina with a lower-body injury — saying he got the wind knocked out of him — but said he will still head to Sochi with Team USA, scuttling any chance the Isles’ Kyle Okposo might have had to replace him.