The New York Islanders failed to bring much against the Carolina Hurricanes as they fell 2-1 on Sunday night.
For a second straight night, the New York Islanders' offense failed to show up, while the defense made their mistakes as they fell 2-1 to the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday night.
The Islanders were without defenseman Alexander Romanov. The 22-year-old was injured in the second period of Saturday night's 5-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning but did return in the third.
Lambert said during his pregame availability that everyone was available, but that was not the case.
Sebastian Aho (upper body) returned to the lineup after missing six games. Josh Bailey was also reinserted into the lineup after sitting for three straight.
With the Pittsburgh Penguins defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 4-2, they now sit just one point behind the Islanders with one game in hand. The Florida Panthers, who were off, are just two points behind New York with a game in hand.
LINES
Anders Lee-Bo Horvat-Hudson Fasching
Pierre Engvall-Brock Nelson-Kyle Palmieri
Zach Parise-Jean-Gabriel Pageau-Josh Bailey
Matt Martin-Casey Cizikas-Cal Clutterbuck
Adam Pelech-Scott Mayfield
Sebastian Aho-Ryan Pulock
Samuel Bolduc-Noah Dobson
Ilya Sorokin
Semyon Varlamov
RAPID RECAP
After being shutout against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night, with no goals in 118:41, Jean-Gabriel Pageau got the New York Islanders on the board first as he sniped Hurricanes netminder Frederik Andersen from the left circle at 17:33 of the first period.
His 13th of the season was assisted by Pierre Engvall, who continues to shine for New York.
Ilya Sorokin was sharp in the first, stopping all 15 shots that came his way.
The Hurricanes evened the score in a second period they dominated, as Jesperi Kotkaniemi snuck one under the blocker-side arm of Sorokin at 9:27 of the second period for his 15th of the season.
Sebastian Aho sent the puck up the boards, but Anders Lecould notto get the puck deep, sending it back toward his zone, and Kotkaniemi eventually made him pay.
The Islanders were flat-out dominated in the second, as they were outshot 13-7 and out-chanced 13-2 as they hung on for dear life.
The Islanders got off to a stronger start in the third but got caught just two and a half minutes in as Jordan Martinook beat Sorokin blocker side on a two-on-one to give the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead, his 12th of the season.
Dobson failed to step, and Sorokin got caught cheating a bit.
With 4:36 to go in the third, the Islanders headed to the power play as Canes' Sebastian Aho went off for cross-checking.
If there was ever a time for the power play to find a way, it was late in the third, but they did not come through.
What made matters worse for New York is that when Canes' Aho came out of the box, he got through the Islanders' defense, forcing Islanders' Aho to hook him with 2:11 to play,
The Islanders had 27 seconds of 6-5 on play as Sorokin was pulled with seconds left on the Hurricanes' power play.
Lambert used his timeout to draw up a final play with 9.3 seconds to play. Pageau won the face-off to Brock Nelson, who, with a shooting lane, passed the puck to Dobson.
The Dobson one-timer caromed off the end boards to Kyle Palmieri, who sent the puck through the crease.
That was all she wrote as the Islanders fell 2-1 to end a tough weekend.
WHAT"S NEXT: The New York Islanders host the Tampa Bay Lightning Thursday night at 7:30 PM ET.