The New York Islanders were stunned by the Washington Capitals Monday night, falling 5-2. The Florida Panthers earned a point against the Toronto Maple Leafs, but John Tavares' overtime tally stopped Florida from clinching.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The New York Islanders were stunned by the Washington Capitals Monday night, falling 5-2.
The Florida Panthers earned a point against the Toronto Maple Leafs, but John Tavares' overtime tally stopped Florida from clinching.
The Pittsburgh Penguins play the Chicago Blackhawks Tuesday.
LINES:
Anders Lee-Bo Horvat-Simon Holmstrom
Pierre Engvall-Brock Nelson-Kyle Palmieri
Zach Parise-Jean-Gabriel Pageau-Hudson Fasching
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 coming off super strong against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Philadelphia Flyers, the New York Islanders did not show up early, and the Washington Capitals made them pay.
Just 1:03 into the game, the Capitals found themselves up 2-0 as Dylan Strome beat Islanders netminder Ilya Sorokin short side, while defenseman Rasmus Sandin beat the Rusian netminder with a casual wrist shot from the top of the left circle.
Lambert decided to leave Sorokin in.
The Islanders settled down, but after Capitals' netminder Darcy Kuemper stoned them on a few chances, Craig Smith extended the lead to 3-0 off a broken play.
Adam Pelech went back to get a puck but tripped on a loose stick. Ryan Pulock and Simon Holmstrom allowed the puck to go right past them off the boards and Smith was ready and waiting right in front of Sorokin.
The Islanders did get a power-play opportunity due to a too-many-men penalty by the Capitals, but they failed to record a shot.
Kuemper stopped all 14 shots that came his way, with four being considered high-danger chances.
The Pelech-Pulock pairing was on the ice for two of the three Capitals' goals, with Pelech on for all three.
Bo Horvat's line was out there for the Strome and Smith goal against, while Jean-Gabriel Pageau's line was out for the Sandin goal.
Sorokin stopped seven of 10.
The Islanders did have prime chances to crack the scoreboard, but Kuemper continued to stand tall while Sorokin did the same at the other end.
Pageau had one of the Islanders' better chances of the game as he rifled a slapshot from the low slot, right into Kuemper with 7:41 to play in the second.
The Islanders had their fair share of botches, as shortly after Pageua's chance, Pierre Engvall dropped the puck back to Kyle Palmieri on a three-on-one, but Palmieri had gone to a different area of the ice.
There were no goals in the second.
Pageau had another chance early in the third off the rush, as he beat Kuemper but not the crossbar.
The Islanders did get another two power plays in the third, with just one shot.
Fasching ruined Kuemper's shutout as he banked home a rebound with 5:08 to play in the third, his second in as many games.
Less than a minute later, Wilson scored on the empty net to make it 4-1 with 4:16 to play in the third.
Casey Cizikas cut the deficit to two 59 seconds later to make it 4-2, but Strome would add an empty netter as the Islanders fell 5-2.
WHAT'S NEXT: The New York Islanders host the Montreal Canadiens Wednesday night at 7 PM ET.