A couple of aspirins, Maestro, Islanders fans -- and especially coach Lane Lambert -- deserve them, if you please, after last night's collapse.
A couple of aspirins, Maestro, Islanders fans -- and especially coach Lane Lambert -- deserve them, if you please, after last night's collapse.
A couple of aspirins, Maestro, Islanders fans -- and especially coach Lane Lambert -- deserve them, if you please, after last night's collapse.
Playing arguably the National Hockey League's best team in Boston -- where the Bruins almost never lose -- the Blue and Orange smartly rallied to forge a 2-2 tie on a shorthander well into the third period.
And. POOF!
Just like that, a 2-2 deadlock wound up a 5-2 Beantown win at TD Garden. Coach Lambert rates first in line for the aspirins, kind fans.
"One of these days, Lambert is going to explode behind the bench," said MSG Networks analyst Butch Goring. "It's got to be difficult watching his guys doing the same (bad) things over again."
In this case, the insults to injury turned out to be; A. The usually airtight Ilya Sorokin was not up to his usual excellent form; B. The once-upon-a-time superior penalty kill failed in the clutch; C. The Ill-timed third-period infraction cost the Elmonters a potential two points, even possibly one, at least.
“That penalty (high-sticking against Sam Bolduc) hurt the comeback," added MSG Networks play-by-play man Brendan Burke.
The Big, Bad Bruins were led by Charlie Coyle's three-goal -- should I say "Dreaded Three-Goal Hat Trick" -- which ultimately killed what had been a good Isles road game.
Or, to put it bluntly, as one visiting scout noted: "Sorokin giving up a weak goal midway through the third period on the penalty kill just moments after the Islanders tied the game -- normally, he makes that save 99 out of 100 times."
The good news is that Brock Nelson got back on the scoresheet with a power play goal and that Simon Holstrom's short-hander gave the Visitors hope, tying the count in the third before the scoreboard fell in on Lambert's sextet in the most disappointing fashion.
Consonant with that was the almost inexplicable failure of the penalty killers; not to mention the fact that the Nassaumen have been outscored 10-3 on the season in the third period; a fatal flaw.
But let's be realistic, Islanders fans, if The Maven had told you at the start of the season that the team would be 5-4-3 -- fourth in the Met Division at this point --it would be acceptable.
Plus, the latest out-of-town scores were helpful. Teams that the Isles hope to beat out for a playoff berth -- Montreal, Ottawa, Tampa Bay, Columbus -- all were beaten last night.
Theoretically, righting the Good Ship Islanders should not be that difficult. We know that Sorokin is better than he showed against Boston, and we know that the penalty-killers can deliver, and a shake-up or two roster moves here or there can put the club in full-speed-ahead mode once more.
"The main thing," said Jean-Gabrielle Pageau, "is to stick together, and we'll be winning again."
That could happen as soon as their next game, Saturday night against Washington.