A dreadful first period doomed the Nashville Predators to their seventh loss in their last 10 games, falling 7-4 to the New York Islanders at UBS Arena Saturday afternoon.

A common theme this season, the Predators failed to start the game on time once again. In what was a total domination in the first period, the Islanders outshot the Predators 19-3 and carried a 3-0 lead into the first intermission.

J.G. Pageau opened the scoring just under three minutes into the game on a crafty behind-the-net feed from Casey Cizikas. Kyle Palmieri doubled the hosts' lead to 2-0, cleaning up the garbage in front of the net on the power play and swatting a loose puck past a helpless Juuse Saros.

Bo Horvat picked up his 20th goal of the year with under 30 seconds left in the first period, cashing in on Anders Lee's rebound following a careless Luke Schenn defensive zone turnover.

Despite there being very little hope for the game, the Predators did manage to storm back and at least make things competitive. Colton Sissons put Nashville on the board just over a minute into the second period, though top NHL trade target Brock Nelson was able to answer almost immediately with a short-handed tally.

Sissons added a helper on Marc Del Gaizo's first NHL goal, helping stamp the young defenseman's first career multi-point game.

Nelson would strike again to ruin the party, putting the Islanders back ahead 5-2 with a snipe from the right circle. Andrew Brunette and the Predators unsuccessfully challenged for goaltender interference, though nothing came of the subsequent Islanders power play.

In the third period, Cizikas effectively ended the game at 6-2, though Cole Smith potted his third and fourth goals of the year to keep it interesting at 6-4.

With Saros pulled for the extra attacker, we saw a surprise goal-scorer get his name on the score sheet. Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin made a pad save, with the rebound careening out to Steven Stamkos at the left circle. Stamkos's errant pass to the point found its way to the Predators' net, giving Sorokin his first-ever goal between the KHL and NHL.

The Nashville Predators, now one Gustav Nyquist lighter following his mid-game trade to Minnesota, will be back on the ice again on Sunday when they face the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden at 6 p.m.