Islanders Fall To Kraken 2-1 SO The New York Islanders [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/latest-news/islanders-fall-2-1-shootout-seattle-kraken-matty-beniers-ilya-sorokin] slip is showing. Patrick Roy's club is slowly slipping away from a playoff berth. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA0MzM2MTA2OTkxMjY1MTE0/usatsi_22514470.jpg] Exhibit A was last night's 2-1 Shootout loss to Seattle at UBS Arena in a game that the Orange and Blue had every right to win. Here's why: 1. The Kraken played on the second of back to back games. 2. The Isles were fresh; or at least they should have been gung-ho fresh. 3. For a change the penalty-kill saved them, even in overtime.. 4. They were home before a crowd desperately rooting for a win. 5. They got a very strong game out of Ilya Sorokin, the club's only star of the game. "We were our own worst enemy," complained Roy in his post-game X-Ray, "We didn't manage the puck the way we should have in a hard-fought game." But they did rebound from an 0-1 deficit when Mat Barzal set up Kyle Palmieri for the comeback goal. After that the offense was ersatz, especially the experiment, putting slumping Pierre Engvall on the top line with Barzy and Bo Horvat. Engvall is an offensive issue that is challenging Roy who yanked Pierre when it was apparent his first-line introduction was not working. A goal or two from Brock Nelson would have helped but never materialized. Nor did captain Anders Lee come through as hoped. "Ilya Solokin (29 saves) is the reason we got a point," Lee noted. "If he keeps playing like that we'll have a chance to win every night." Whoa! Anders! Whoa, buddy! Not if the goal-scorers don't score to support the goalkeepers. Not when the total team effort is not the 100 percent that fans demand and deserve. Not if the Islanders fail to win much-needed homestretch games like the upcoming Sunday outdoor affair against the Rangers at The Meadowlands. The slippage is getting more slippery in every game without a W, and so far The Roy Effect remains a challenging work in progress. What this team needs more than anything is an outdoor victory over the Blueshirts to once and for all get them going again. That will show that they still have the goods. Last night, no. If ever a team figuratively needed a set of non-skid tires, this Isles club is it because the skids are getting scarier. Finally, the good news: the playoff berth still is within sight. No telescope needed. At least not yet!
