The Islanders have blown leads in their last three games, losing them all by a goal.
EAST MEADOW, NY -- The New York Islanders believe they are still a good team, but their failure to hold onto leads has them just a point back from the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
The last three games have seen the Islanders blow third-period leads and only muster a point, with two being regulation losses.
Through 20 games on the season, the Islanders have held the lead 18 times but have blown 14 of them. They've lost six games of the eight games in which they've allowed a tying goal for a 2-3-3 record:
"At the end of the day, you can't have it happen. It's something that you understand a couple of times over the course of 82 games, but, on the flip side of that, it's happened in what feels like a number of different ways in different scenarios," Islanders forward Brock Nelson told The Hockey News. "But we have to find a way to not allow it. And when a mistake or bad break happens, we have to try and find a way to cover it up and bail ourselves out.
"We've obviously had outstanding goaltending each and every night to give ourselves a chance to win and put ourselves in a position to win, but we haven't. It's disappointing at the end of the day. We need to draw a line and say enough is enough. We need to think about all the good things that will happen and go our way. Everybody here believes that, you know, we can get better results, and we will, so it's just a matter of going out there and doing it, and then you get one, and you feel good."
While not locking down leads may look like a defensive issue—it certainly is—the Islanders' inability to score goals and build on leads has made them susceptible to blowing the slim one-goal leads they've had.
The Islanders have averaged a goal per game over their last three, and eight of their 13 losses this season have been decided by one goal.
The chances have been there. The finishing hasn't been.
"That's a different avenue, same conversation type thing," Nelson said. "We've had looks. I look back to Seattle. I had a shorthand breakaway late. You'd like to capitalize on that and be a difference-maker. Calgary, I have another [chance] late to get ourselves back up after they tied it, after the penalty. I think a number of guys would say the same thing.
"It feels worse when you have those moments, and you don't score, but you still get the chances. And now that you get one, you could get two. And like I said, it's the same conversation, that once we do get that second and third insurance, it's going to be a good feeling."
Nelson has just one goal over his last 10 shots. Bo Horvat and Kyle Palmieri have no goals over his last nine shots.
"When you have a chance, and you can't score, it's frustrating, for sure, but at the same time, you're happy that you're getting the looks, and you try to find more ways to generate more looks," Nelson said. "And you know that the law of averages, you get one to go in, and then obviously from there, you get hot.
"So as a team, I think that's something we believe in; the way we played 5-on-5 and the goaltending we've got. If we get a big win tonight...we're a confident group that we can get a good run here and turn the conversation in a different direction."
Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson has been at the center of some of these blown leads, but there's no question the failures don't fall just on his shoulders.
Again, the Islanders' failure to score that insurance goal has put added pressure on a team that has folded under said pressure.
"It's hard to, like, pinpoint one thing. I mean, each game kind of brings a different task or something. I think the main thing is we put ourselves in a lot of good positions. I think now it's just bearing down and finding that next one," Dobson told THN. "I think it makes such a difference. We've gone into the third period with a one-goal lead. In all the games, we've had our chances to extend that lead.
"So I think it's important just when we get those opportunities to bear down -- anytime a team's down in the third period, there's always that push -- and manage those moments. There are times when you have to be simple and hold on. I haven't really noticed anything specific."
Dobson knows that there are a lot of positives in these brutal losses.
"I think we've done a lot of good things. Now it's just a matter of when we have those leads, going and getting that next one," Dobson said. "Or, in an important moment with a one-goal lead late in the game, just finding a way to bear down. And I think the results will come after that. But I think there are a lot more positives that we can kind of lean on and build on.
There are actually a lot of positives. Unfortunately, their great work has been spoiled by a few mistakes in critical moments.
The crazy part about the Islanders' struggles is while they may be close to the basement of the East, they are also just a win out of a wild-card spot.
"You're not looking at [the standings] at this point. I mean, definitely, the later it gets on this season, there's more scoreboard watching and stuff like that. But I think right now you're just aware," Dobson said. "I mean, if you look at it, we're below .500 record-wise, but we found ways in a lot of games to get points, and that's kept us...I mean, we're right there. With a couple of wins, we're back in a spot, right?
"You got to keep that in hindsight, build on the things you've been doing while cleaning up some areas. We've just got to capitalize on our chances, and we'll be okay. We're doing the right things, playing the right way. We can play with anyone. We know the blueprints are there."
Islanders head coach Patrick Roy has been asked the same question repeatedly as the blown-leads problem has happened repeatedly.
He decided to take a quote out of former New England Patriots head coach Bill Bellichek's quote book.
“I mean, Belichick said a lot of times that making a mistake at the wrong time or taking a penalty at the wrong time could cost the game for your team, and it's been hurting us in that third period," Roy said. "We have to be very good in those clutch moments.”
The Islanders play eight of their next 11 games at home after paying 13 of the first 20 on the road.
With the crowd behind them, they need to find a way to score in the clutch and defend in the clutch to turn things around.