The Morning After: What Can The Islanders Say After They Say, 'I'm Sorry?'
The Maven hopes that there's a "Bootstraps Sale" in a Calgary shop tomorrow night -- and I'm sure as certain that you know the reason why.
Lane Lambert's skaters must -- I repeat, must -- pull themselves up by their bootstraps; Individually and as a group. Mentally and physically wouldn't hurt either.
They got a bit of a lift with two points out of their last pair of games, but the final, endless shootout, 4-3 loss last night in Seattle was deflating, especially since New York blew what could have been a late third-period power play that could have produced the winner, but failed.
Do not forget that they took a couple of steps forward -- two out of a possible four road points ain't bad in the last two road games -- but still, last night's defeat was disappointing simply because it was winnable for the Isles both in regulation, overtime and, then the loss on Kailer Yamamoto's S.O. winner against Semyon Varlamov.
A tiny bit of play-by-play commentary follows:
1. The Isles took the first-period lead;
2. The Isles had another lead in the third period and couldn't hold it once more despite a late power play.
3. Losing by blowing a shootout has become a nasty habit with this club.
That includes I.Q. -- as in "Intensity Quotient -- once an islander tradition that sure got a mildly positive revival with a point in Vancouver and then Seattle. Next up is Calgary tomorrow night in Alberta.
Also, the ersatz penalty kill, which lost a 1-0 Isles first-period lead with two straight failed PKs that immediately put our guys down 2-1 at the end of one, is now a major issue.
Losing to the Kraken isn't exactly a sin since Seattle has a pretty darn good hockey club. Plus, they outshot the Nassaumen, 16-6, in the opening period. Another disturbing trend for our lads.
But we're not worried about Washington State's favorite NHL team, we're sweating our Isles, and this latest point -- may have an interesting follow-up against the Flames.
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Looking backward, The Maven found some pluses in what was a shootout loss that could have been turned into a two-pointer. The following are a few high and lowlights.
Once again, Lane Lambert's sextet scored first -- thank you, Anders Lee, for the power play red light-- and then proceeded to blow two PKs. This has been an unfortunate pattern that must be reversed, preferably vs. the Flames.
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Still, the Elmonters rallied in the second period of a late Casey Cizikas goal, which meant that the clubs were tied, 2-2, right into the third period, which has been an Islanders bugaboo lately.
How they'd handle the game from here on would be decisive.
Hopes climbed with Noah Dobson's early third-period power-play goal. Ah, but soon after, the Visitors PK failed yet again, leaving us the question: can the Isles somehow win the period -- and game?
Alas. the disappointing trend continued when Seattle rallied again. That led to a no-score overtime and the ultimate deflation.
Conclusions: The power play looks better, and at least they made it out of overtime.
Or as Zach Weinstock, my co-author on the Isles 50-year anniversary book -- along with David Kolb -- concludes:
"For Pete's sake; if they win in Calgary, that's a .500 Northwest road trip which, on paper, is pretty solid."
To which The Maven adds: "Amen!"
