Against the worst team in the NHL, the New York Islanders found a way to erase a two-goal deficit in the third before losing in overtime while shorthanded.
With the loss, the Islanders are to 36-27-9 but now have a three-point gap between them and the current second wild-card holder, the Pittsburgh Penguins.
LINES
Anders Lee-Bo Horvat-Simon Holmstrom
Pierre Engvall-Brock Nelson-Kyle Palmieri
Zach-Parise-Jean-Gabriel Pageau-Hudson Fasching
Matt Martin-Casey Cizikas-Cal Clutterbuck
Adam Pelech-Scott Mayfield
Alexander Romanov-Ryan Pulock
Samuel Bolduc-Noah Dobson
Ilya Sorokin
Semyon Varlamov
RAPID RECAP: After a few strong shifts to start the first period, the New York Islanders failed to find their game as the Columbus Blue Jackets put on the pressure early.
But thanks to the play of Ilya Sorokin, the Islanders had the ability to get on the board first, which they did.
For the second straight game, Zach Parise got the Islanders buzzing as he lit the lamp at 13:37 of the first for his 20th of the season after a strong pass by Hudson Fasching.
With that goal, Parise has scored in four straight games, the second-longest stretch of his career. He scored six straight during the 2009-10 season with the New Jersey Devils.
According to Natural Stat Trick, Ilya Sorokin stopped eight shots in the first period, with three considered high-danger chances.
After the Blue Jackets seemed to tie the score earlier in the middle frame, Islanders head coach Lane Lambert challenged for goaltender interference and won to remain undefeated on challenges this season (2 for 2).
However, Parise entered the penalty box as there was a delayed penalty for tripping before the disallowed goal. On the Blue Jackets' third power play, Johnny Gaudreau sniped Sorokin through a screen for his 18th of the season at 4:58 of the second.
But just 32 seconds later, in honor of Blue Jackets legend Jonathan Quick, Brock Nelson rifled home his 31st of the season off a feed from Kyle Palmieri to give the Islanders a 2-1 lead with 14:30 to play in the second.
The Blue Jackets tied the game with 11:01 to play in the second, as an Islanders turnover allowed Liam Foudy to get to the front of the net at Jack Roslovic found him for his sixth of the season.
Kent Johnson gave the Blue Jackets a 3-2 lead with 2:54 to play in the second as the former Michigan Wolverine scored on "The Michigan" for a highlight-reel goal, his 15th of the season.
With the secondary assist, Hunter McKown notched his first career NHL point in his first career NHL game.
Forty seconds later, Eric Robinson scored, extending the Blue Jackets' lead to 4-2 for his 10th of the season.
To be a fly on the wall in the Islanders locker room...
Whatever the message was between periods, the Islanders benefitted from it.
On the attack from the get-go, the Islanders got one back just 3:34 in as Kyle Palmieri tipped home an Adam Pelech point shot for his 13th of the season and fourth in four games.
With 12:00 to play, Nelson sniped short side on the power play to tie the game at four. That was Nelson's second goal of the game and the 32nd of the season, with Bo Horvat notching the assist.
After Anders Lee took a penalty late in regulation, the Blue Jackets got the job done in overtime, as Boone Jenner deflected an Adam Boqvist shot for his 25th of the season for the 5-4 win.
UP NEXT: The New York Islanders host the Buffalo Sabres Saturday at 5 PM ET.