Islanders Fall 5-4 in OT to Avalanche A Hollywood producer with a dramatic bent could make a mint with a series called "Can The Islanders Maintain A Third Period Lead?" It would be a real, live melodrama based on fact with all kinds of possibilities, like last night at Ball Arena in Denver, where the New York Islanders [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/game-day/new-york-islanders-semyon-varlamov-ilya-sorokin-injury-2] followed the script and lost 5-4 in the extra session. "The point," said Captain Anders Lee, "is good to build on, although we wanted two. It was a tough game." This time, Our Heroes nursed a one-goal lead from 10:18 of the middle period until 12:21 of the third, when the score was tied at 4-4. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAzMzY0ODI0MDI4MDk1OTgx/usatsi_22213180.jpg] What made this thriller-diller so special is that it had an extra-added attraction -- overtime which at least guaranteed a point. Hey, when it's against one of the teams picked to win the Stanley Cup, a point ain't too bad, is it? Well, yes and no, but in the end, it's a NO. That's because Semyon Varlamov had to leave the game with 5:08 left in the first period with an undisclosed injury after giving up a goal. Ilya Sorokin was pressed into service and goal the rest of the way. Also, D-man Robert Bortuzzo departed with 4:19 remaining in the second with an injury. "Ilya gave us a chance to win the game," said Noah Dobson, "and the guys stuck together to give us a big point." The mini-tragedy ended quickly when Nathan MacKinnon drilled his 20th goal of the season past Sorokin on a power play before half the fans could take their seats for OT. It took only 32 seconds for the curtain to drop on the Visitors. In an arithmetical sense, The Maven has to say this was not unexpected. After all, when the Isles are outshot 39-22 and blow the lead on a penalty and then blow the game on another infraction, there are no more miracles left in an embattled Sorokin. Still, the Isles got that far on goals from Pierre Engvall, Brock Nelson, Simon Holmstrom, and Alexander Romanov. Engvall, who had been in the coach's doghouse, opened the scoring at 5:39 of the first period and earned praise from Lane Lambert. "The thing is," the skipper added, "he has to do that consistently." If nothing else, it proved that the Orange and Blue still can give opposing goalies the heebie-jeebies even on only 22 shots. And they thwarted the 2022 Stanley Cup champs with 31 blocked shots which gives you an idea about the tilted ice. As for the good news, here goes: Five teams -- Philly, Pitt, Tampa, Ottawa, and Columbus -- which the Isles have to beat out for a playoff berth -- lost last night. And with 44 points in 37 games the Isles hold third place in the Met Division -- a point ahead of the Flyers. The Isles have points in 19 of their last 23 games and have played 21 one-goal games with an 11-1-9 mark. This brings The Maven back to my fictitious melodrama series, "Can The Islanders Hold A Three-Period Lead?" Consider the following: * They have been outscored 53-38 in the third period. * The Orange and Blue have had a two-goal lead 29 times and scored the next goal only six times. * They've allowed the next goal 21 times. Yet, they are still in third place and have more than half a season remaining to correct the flaws. The next game will be tomorrow night in Arizona, where the Coyotes have been one of the league's surprise teams. The contest begins at 9 p.m. Eastern time. "Our guys grinded," Lambert concluded, "and got a point.". But Colorado ground out the winning goal!
