ELMONT, NY -- In their final home game of the season, the New York Islanders fell to the Washington Capitals 3-1.
The game result didn't matter with the Islanders already eliminated from playoff contention, but it was an important one for Matt Martin, who likely played his final game at home for the organization.
Here's how the game unfolded:
About five minutes in, the Capitals already had a grade-A opportunity. Former Islanders player Anthony Beauvillier got completely robbed by Ilya Sorokin from what looked like a wide-open look alongside the net. Sorokin got a piece of it, and the post did the rest.
Washington opened the scoring on the power play at 11:45 after Tony DeAngelo was given a penalty for slashing. Dylan Strome simply wristed a shot from the blue line that deflected off of Ryan Pulock and in.
The Islanders got a power play of their own and had a few good opportunities, but Capitals goalie Charlie Lindgren stood tall and stopped all two shots that made it on net.
New York continued its pressure after the man advantage but found themselves on the penalty kill again after Casey Cizikas high-sticked rookie Ryan Leonard.
Sorokin and the post stopped the few chances that made their way towards the net.
The first period came to an end with the Capitals having a 1-0 lead in what was an even period with the shots being 10-8 in favor of Washington.
The penalty box doors opened once again, not even two minutes in, as the Islanders got their second chance of the game, but were unable to record a shot.
Strome struck again with 8 minutes in as Alexander Ovechkin out-muscled Scott Mayfield from behind the net and pushed it to the slot. Strome was waiting there and fired it past Sorokin to give his team a 2-0 lead.
Adam Pelech was next in line for the penalty box as he was called for tripping, but it was quickly evened up as Pierre-Luc Dubois got his own tripping penalty while on the power play.
The only Islanders shot during that entire sequence came courtesy of Noah Dobson during the short penalty kill.
It was almost three minutes of 5-on-5 play, which meant it was time for another penalty. This time, New York was caught with too many men on the ice.
Sorokin and the Islanders managed to kill it off as he fought off three tough shots to end the penalty, and the period followed suit shortly after.
The third period started, and the Capitals' penalty box was getting cold, so Connor McMichael took a tripping penalty to give New York another shot at it.
Kyle Palmieri got the only shot.
The Islanders finally got on the board with 8:24 remaining as Hudson Fasching made some moves and J.G. Pageau finished it off to make it 2-1. Fasching peeled off the boards and stick-handled his way through a few bodies before sending it towards the net, where it bounced off Pageau and in.
Noah Dobson had a chance to tie the game on a breakaway but hit the post.
Head coach Patrick Roy pulled the goalie with 3:12 remaining, but the team was unable to convert as the Islanders fell in the final home game of the season to the Capitals 3-1.
Strome finished off his hat-trick with an empty net.
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Tim Neschis wrote this story.