After the Islanders' 5-2 loss to the Rangers, a frustrated Kyle Palmieri spoke with our Stefen Rosner about their four-game slide and what's plagued them.
NEW YORK, NY -- The New York Islanders' playoff chances were dampened with their fourth straight loss, the latest coming at the hands of the cross-town rival New York Rangers.
It was a 5-2 loss at Madison Square Garden, as the Islanders have now been outscored 16-5 over their last four games. This includes two shutout losses—falling 3-0 to the Los Angeles Kings and 4-0 to the Buffalo Sabres—before blowing a third-period lead in their 4-3 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.
"We're just not executing," Islanders forward Kyle Palmieri told The Hockey News. "It doesn't matter what system you have or the plays you draw up. If you don't execute, and you don't support each other, and you don't win your battles, you're just not going to do well. And that's been the case for us for a little bit."
The Islanders four-game slide has come right after the team put together a six-game win streak, playing as a five-man unit. Lately, the team is playing like they did under former head coach Lane Lambert, who was relieved of his duties on Jan 20 after a four-game slide.
"Realistically, we know that we have to be better," Palmieri said. "Whether it's one little play that shifts the momentum, one shift could lead to another, whatever it is."
The Islanders playoff hopes are still very much alive, sitting just a point out of the second wild-card spot -- two points out of the top wild-card spot -- with 15 games to go.
But the Islanders are no longer in control of their own destiny, and the only way they will make the playoffs is by winning hockey games.
"I think everyone in this room knows what time of year it is and how important these games are," Palmieri said before taking a major sigh. "Talking is one thing. You can't talk your way into the playoffs.
"We just have to take a look in the mirror here and get the ball rolling."
After playing just one playoff team over their last six games, the Islanders' schedule gets significantly tougher.
This upcoming week, the Islanders host the second-place Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday, head to Detroit to play the second wild-card Red Wings before another weekend back-to-back, hosting the juggernaut Winnipeg Jets on Saturday and the New Jersey Devils on Sunday.