Islanders Slow Start Sinks Them Against Kings In 3-1 Loss

The Islanders weren't ready when the puck dropped at UBS Arena, leading to their sixth loss in nine games.

ELMONT, NY -- The New York Islanders should have come out red-hot after back-to-back wins with a playoff spot in sight. 

However, a slow start sank them in a 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings. 

Here's how the game unfolded:

Ilya Sorokin was busy early as the Islanders spent most of their time defending in their own zone.

They were being outshot 5-0 before Alexander Romanov laid a huge check on Alex Laferriere, sending him flying into the boards. Former Islander Kyle Burroughs dropped the gloves in defense, but Romanov declined, giving his team a power play.

Even with a man advantage, New York could not manage a shot.

Kyle Palmieri finally forced Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper to make a save, a slow backhander along the ice over eight minutes in.

The Islanders went back on the power play and got two shots this time, but none got past Kuemper.

The game's first goal was scored with 6:09 remaining in the first as Adrian Kempe put the Kings on the board. Kempe effortlessly skated past the Islanders' defense, positioned himself beside the net, and received a pass from Anze Kopitar, who was behind the goal, before shooting it past Sorokin:

Los Angeles continued to press for the remainder of the period as New York could not get set up offensively and defensively, they turned the puck over consistently.

The period came to an end with the Kings dominating the shot column 12-3.

The second started the same way the first did, with the Islanders not having any control of the game.

More pressure led to the Kings getting a 2-0 lead, this time from Kevin Fiala.

Fiala deked out Oliver Wahlstrom at the blue line, took the space given, and wristed a shot that found its way in:

After the goal New York started to push back and had some quality chances but none made its way past Kuemper.

With over 12 minutes left, Quinton Byfield was on a breakaway and tried to flip it past Sorokin but he just got a piece, and then robbed Fiala on the rebound as he was down on the ice but stuck his arm out and made the save.

Not long after, Anders Lee provided the Islanders with a much-needed goal.

Palmieri, from the blue line, shot a puck that found its way to Lee, who settled it, spun, and shot it through Kuemper’s legs:

The goal extends his team lead to 13 but it also pushes him past the former captain, John Tavares, for eighth all-time for the Islanders franchise with 273.

The game settled down for a bit before Romanov took a high-sticking penalty with 2:25 left in the second.

The Kings pressured, but Sorokin and the Islanders killed it off, and went to the third trailing LA 2-1.

The third started, and New York evened the pace set by the Kings. The first 10 minutes came and went quickly, with only three shots combined between both teams.

The first opportunity for the Islanders to tie the game came at the halfway point as they were awarded their third power play of the game.

Once again, they only got two shots on the net, and Los Angeles quickly killed it off.

With 6:30 remaining, Noah Dobson fluttered a shot that Kuemper never saw but it hit the post, hit his pad and bounced out and away from danger.

Not even two minutes later Kuemper’s post rang once again as a line rush ended with Bo Horvat having a clean look but he only hit iron.

Pageau later had the same chance to tie the game, but this time, the Kings goalie made the save.

The Islanders pressured with their net empty but failed to convert. With 14 seconds left, Mikey Anderson hit a full-length empty-net goal to end the game with a final score of 3-1.

UP NEXT: The Islanders host the league-worst Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night at 7:30 PM ET.