The Islanders get swept on their back-to-back.
After losing 4-3 to the Winnipeg Jets on Friday night due to a shaky second period, the New York Islanders fell victim to the middle frame yet again on Saturday night, losing 5-3 to the Minnesota Wild.
The Islanders enter the NHL's 4 Nations Face-Off four points back of the second wild-card spot.
Here's how it happened:
Minnesota broke the ice 3:19 in on a quick passing play. Jared Spuregon got the puck in from the high slot and dished it to Matt Boldy on the right wing. Boldy sent it back to Marco Rossi in the slot, who walked in and beat Ilya Sorokin from the high slot.
Minnesota's lead lasted only 13 seconds, as the Islanders came up with a quick equalizer.
As Maxim Tsyplakov got the puck in along the left wing, he got the puck to Kyle Palmieri after banking the puck off Brock Nelson's skate. Palmieri skated towards the left circle and wired a shot past Filip Gustavsson to tie the game at 3:32 of the period. It's Palmieri's 19th goal of the season and second in as many games:
Minnesota outshot New York 12-8 in the opening frame and forced the Islanders into six turnovers to the Wild's two, but the 1-1 tie held after 20 minutes. Both teams had a scoreless power play opportunity in the frame.
The first half of the second period was dominated by the Islanders' Minnesota natives.
Just 28 seconds into the frame, the team's second line connected on a cross ice passing play down low. Palmieri got the puck in the left wing corner, sending it to Tsyplakov in front. Tsyplakov dished the puck to Nelson who buried the puck into a gaping cage. The forward out of Warroad, Minnesota, made it 2-1 on his 17th of the season:
Later in the period, Edina's own Anders Lee got in on the action. After Scott Perunovich forced a turnover at the point, he skated towards the middle and dished a backhand pass to Lee, who chipped the puck blocker side past Gustavsson. His 23rd made it 3-1 at 7:17 of the second:
With New York staked to the multi-goal lead, the second half was all Wild. Minnesota rallied for three straight goals to finish the period, starting with a lucky bounce on the power play
Brock Faber sent a pass to Liam Ohgren at the blue line, which led to a drop to Freddie Gaudreau at the point. Gaudreau let a shot go that was deflected by Tony DeAngelo and out of Sorokin's reach to make it 3-2 at 13:21 of the second.
Minnesota continued to push after the strong Islanders start and ultimately got the game tied. Jared Spurgeon played catch with his defense partner Jonas Brodin at the point, with the latter letting a shot go through traffic. Boldy came up with a deflection on the right side to tie it at three at 17:59.
Brodin's primary helper was the 200th of his NHL career. In 837 games, all with the Wild, he has 58 goals and 200 assists for 258 points.
About 50 seconds later, Minnesota ended the period with the lead. The Wild got set up on the left side, with Marat Khusnutdinov getting it to Jake Middleton at the point. Middleton let a shot go that found Yakov Trenin in front and beat Sorokin, putting Minnesota on top 4-3 at 18:50.
Despite outshooting Minnesota 14-9, the Islanders entered the third period trailing. The Wild once again won the turnover battle in the frame, forcing five Islanders giveaways to Minnesota's four. Minnesota also converted on the lone power play of the frame.
The Wild came out with a big push in the third period and took advantage of a pair of Islanders miscues to pad the lead. After Palmieri fumbled the puck on a breakout, Boldy drove down the left wing and put a puck in front towards DeAngelo. The defenseman mishandled the puck and shot it into his own cage on an attempted clear, making it 5-3 at 5:53 of the third.
The goal was credited to Boldy, his 20th of the season and second of the game.
Marcus Foligno added an empty-net goal at 15:46 of the third for the 6-3 final.
UP NEXT: The Islanders have two weeks off before hosting the Dallas Stars on Feb. 23.
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