The New York Islanders were short-changed on the Carolina Hurricanes overtime winner as the officials missed a high-stick against Scott Mayfield. Here's the postgame reaction.
When the New York Islanders headed to their locker room following a 4-3 overtime loss in Game 2, there was a stat that just stood out, and for good reason.
The Islanders did not get one power play throughout the sixty-plus-minute affair, while the Hurricanes were awarded six power plays, going 1-for-6.
The issue wasn't the number of power-play chances for Carolina. The problem was the plays that went uncalled, none more significant than the missed high-stick by Jordan Martinook on Scott Mayfield, directly leading to Jesper Fast's overtime tally:
After collecting himself, he made his way over to the official, dumbfounded at how the play went uncalled.
While that happened, the Hurricanes got in on an odd-man rush, and that was all she wrote.
Mayfield kept barking as the Islanders skated off the ice while the Hurricanes celebrated.
"You fu---d us. What the f---k were you looking at there? Mayfield appeared to have said as he skated off.
Teammate Zach Parise had some strong words.
"We saw Scotty on the ice covering his face," teammate Zach Parise said. "I mean, I don't think he stuck himself, but I don't know."
Islanders head coach Lane Lambert was fuming while he sat at the podium after the defeat. His words were few, but his expressions depicted a livid coach who watched his team battle extremely hard and got the short end of the stick--big time.
Lambert was asked if he got any explanation on why that was not called, and if he was planning on talking to the league.
"No" and "No."
The first-year head coach was adamant about moving on to Friday when the Islanders host the Hurricanes at UBS Arena.
"Right now, we just have to worry about the next game," Lambert said but did say that there will likely be a chat with the league.
At that point, the game was over, and the Islanders were staring down a 2-0 deficit.
Mayfield was unavailable to the media after the game because he was getting work done, per The Athletic's Kevin Kurz.
Although the referees surely missed the call, Mayfield left his side of the ice to complain, which allowed Jesper Fast to find open ice.
Netminder Ilya Sorokin, who didn't have his best showing, was caught back on the goal line, leaving the blocker side open for business, and got burned.
Here's what Lambert had to say regarding Mayfield's actions after getting high-sticked.
"I just saw a snippet of it, so. Clearly, he had some issues and was trying to recover."
Brock Nelson weighed in: "It doesn't matter if I did or not."
He's not wrong.
"To be honest with you, I just got off from a shift," Noah Dobson said. "I wasn't really paying attention. But we can't control that. I'll have a look at it. But I mean, it is what it is.
"We just have to regroup here. Get ready for the next one."