Carolina's Hurricanes proved to be the absolute spoiler at UBS Arena after the Islanders came to feast. What they got was famine thanks to the more opportunistic Visitors.
The Islanders are like the man who came to dinner except that dinner was not served. Hence they are one game away from elimination.
Carolina's Hurricanes proved to be the absolute spoiler at UBS Arena after the Islanders came to feast. What they got was famine thanks to the more opportunistic Visitors.
You have to call the 60-minute result a classic build-up to a letdown; right from the early first period penalty to Zach Parise down to a grim power play that potentially could have put the Isles back in the game but failed -- again
Forget the 5-2 final score; the game essentially was lost in the first period on a five on three advantage that thoroughly punctured the Isles balloon.
Perhaps Isles icon and MSG Network analyst Butch Goring said it best at one point observing,"The Islanders look like they have no legs."
Actually, they lacked more than that. Here are a few "lacks" that, when added up, cost them the contest.
* Matt Barzal seemed worn out after three-games.
* The penalty kill failed at crucial moments.
* They egregiously lacked puck possession for most of the afternoon.
* Ilya Sorokin was left out to dry.
* They were out-hustled.
* Errant passes flew all over the ice.
Full credit to Carolina for exploiting virtually every break, especially the Isles penalties.
"The Islanders were lacking discipline," added ex-Nassau defenseman Thomas Hickey, who had to be thinking about a Matt Martin whack from behind that cost his club a penalty at the end of the first period, leading to a PP goal right after.
Perhaps coach Lane Lambert's skaters can regain the style that led to their Game Three win. Their chance will come Tuesday night in Raleigh where the Canes have an aversion to losing.
Easily the most disturbing aspect of the contest to the capacity crowd at UBS was the home club's splendid start that evaporated in no time at all. The strategy was good but the execution was not, nor was the result.
Ever since the opening game a major aspect of Islanders hockey was to physically punish the lighthorse visitors; wear them down and you win. Hit them hard but -- for crying out loud -- do it legally.
Sure enough, with the crowd roaring its approval, the Isles satisfied thecustomers by outhustling and out-muscling the foe for the first four minutes. And the game plan was working just fine until a very questionable goalie interference call on Zach Parise soon followed by another two-minute job on Ryan Puloch and hence, the poisonous 5-on-3.
Before you could say "Where's Charlie?" the Canes were up and running and the Isles early offense was as forgotten as lost week's paper. For two periods Lane Lambert's skaters piled futility on top of futility.
And by the time the New Yorkers reversed the trend in the final frame, Goring opined that "The Islanders have had more chances in the third period than in the previous two."
They got a goal each from Adam Pelech and Bo Horvat but, by then, it really didn't matter.
Of course, all is not lost. Here's there remedy for Game Five:
1. Stay out of the penalty box. Focus on discipline.
2. One more time, folks. Fix the darn power play.
3. Shake rattle and roll the lineup. It can't hurt.
4. Score the first goal.