New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal explained his decision-making Monday night on two of the Detroit Red Wings goals in the latest edition of Islanders Breakdown.

EAST MEADOW, NY -- The New York Islanders chocked away what would have been a third-consecutive win on Monday night in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings.

It was a game where in-game adjustments backfired completely, as a 2-0 lead turned into a 3-2 deficit in a blink of an eye.

If it weren't for Bo Horvat's late equalizer in the third to force overtime, the loss would have been a tougher pill to swallow.

However, if you remember how last season ended for New York, throwing away a point early in the season could be the difference between skating in a playoff game or watching the postseason from home. 

While all the Red Wings goals came off mistakes by New York, there are two goals we are going to dive into, both having to do with Mathew Barzal.

It wasn't Barzal's best night defensively, but it's also important to get his viewpoint in order to understand his decision-making. 

So, after Tuesday's practice, The Hockey News asked Barzal about what he saw on the Daniel Sprong goal, the Red Wings' first of the game, and the Lucas Raymond overtime winner.

Before getting to the breakdown, we must mention that Islanders head coach Lane Lambert swapped Barzal and Oliver Wahlstrom, as he did Saturday night against Columbus, early in the third. 

On the Sprong goal, Barzal, along with Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Simon Holmstrom, got caught up the ice, leading to an odd-man rush by the Red Wings.

Given Barzal's speed, he was able to get back but was hesitant to make a play on the puck carrier Sprong, who split the defense after a weak step by Samuel Bolduc and took advantage of a turned-around Sebastian Aho.

Here's the play:

"I probably could have put a little more pressure on," Barzal said. "I felt like our defensemen were in a pretty good spot, so I was just kind of making sure the trailer didn't get the puck."

The trailer is the third forward who stays high in the offensive zone, primarily as a secondary or tertiary pass option.

And Barzal is 100 percent right. The Islanders' defense seemed to be in the right spot, but once Bolduc bit, everything went wrong in seconds. 

"It's one of those ones where obviously now because they score, you know...if I over back-check and he hits the late guy (trailer), he scores, and it's my fault that way, so just an unfortunate bounce."

This is a situation where the defense needs to be trusted to make the play. Although the replay may have shown that Barzal didn't do enough, and to his credit, he took the blame for that, it's a situation that begins in the offensive zone, as three forwards getting caught is never ideal. 

Barzal and the Islanders paid the price. 

Unfortunately for the Islanders, that breakdown gave Detroit momentum, and that Sprong goal catapulted them to their comeback. 

Now to the overtime winner. 

With 3:48 to play in the extra frame, the Red Wings entered the Islanders' blue line on a 2-on-2. Barzal made a strong play on the puck carrier Raymond, forcing him to pass the puck after cutting to the slot.

That pass found J.T. Compher positioned deep in the left face-off dot, who rifled a one-timer off the cross-bar. As the puck banked off the boards, it seemed like Bo Horvat was going to scoop the puck up near the Islanders blue line and hit Barzal with a backhand pass that, in essence, would have sprung Barzal on a breakaway. 

However, the puck hopped over Horvat's stick, and Detroit came down the other way on a 2-on-1, scoring the game-winner. It seemed like Barzal could have applied more pressure, like we saw on the Sprong goal, but did not.

Here's the goal:

"I mean, I was kind of thinking, maybe hovering quick," Barzal said. "It comes back the other way. That happens, so it's a fifty-fifty puck that didn't go my way."

Like on the Sprong goal, there was a play to be made defensively. 

Yes, Noah Dobson allowed Raymond to feed Compher, and it seemed like the Islanders thought that would be the game.

Once Compher didn't shoot and delayed, the Islanders got mentally caught, allowing Raymond to be more wide-open than he should have been. 

Horvat seemed like he had the ability to get back and was in the vicinity, just failing to tie up Raymond's stick while Dobson had a chance on the secondary dive. 

It's 3-on-3 overtime in a game that never should have gone to overtime, but it's little plays that can make all the difference, something that former head coach Barry Trotz made mandatory for all of his players.

All the Islanders can do is learn from their mistakes and move on as they head to Washington to face the Capitals on Thursday night. 

We thank Barzal for providing insight for this story.