Islanders Fall 3-1 to Predators in Dying Seconds of Third Lady Luck! Where Are You? Certainly not around the embattled New York Islanders [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/latest-news/new-york-islanders-2023-24-41-games-player-grades]. For sure, not on Scott Mayfield's stick, which should have blunted Alexandre Carrier's desperate late third-period shot. Instead, it snapped the Islander defenseman's not-so-magic-wand and sailed over Ilya Sorokin's blocker. Into the net it went with only 7.9 seconds remaining. (An open-netter with one second left was meaningless.) The 3-1 final essentially was a migraine-making 2-1 loss at Music City's Bridgestone Arena. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAzNjE2MDY5NDE0Mjk5NTEw/usatsi_22288858.jpg] "It was a calamity of errors in our zone," moaned coach Lane Lambert. That was a perfect description of an imperfect storm that stoned our lads, who could not clear their acreage -- sound familiar? -- when the clear was most needed. Lambert: "It was a cardinal sin (committed) in our zone. We turned the puck over, and they got a shot, and -- alley-oops -- it's over." What made what could have been a win so frustrating was the sequence of blunders after Pierre-Gabriel Pageau gave the Isles a 1-0 lead at 12:00 of the third period. But Kyle Palmieri was called for tripping Luke Evangelista at 13:13, and the extra punishment was the tying goal by none other than Evangelista himself on the power play. More to the sadness: Ilya Sorokin previously had kept his club alive at 0-0 with major-major third-period saves on Roman Josi and Denis Gurianov. But you know as well as I do that periods last 20 minutes, and -- too often -- foes find a way to break our hearts as late as possible in games. "We played a pretty solid road game," explained captain Anders Lee. "for most of it. There was a lot to like. But we have to manage the moments better, especially those last five minutes. We've got to at least get to overtime and get a point out of it." One could say that at least some of the mistakes could have been avoided. The Palmieri penalty was Exhibit A, and The tying goal was Exhibit B. And as for Exhibit C we must go to the witness stand and coach Lambert. "It was a calamity of errors." As for atonement for their hockey sins, the Isles have an opportunity tomorrow night in St. Paul where they meet the Wild, 6 p.m. (Eastern) at Xcel Center. P.S. Maybe it's none of my business, but I have to ask this question -- as I'm sure Scott Mayfield would as well. So, here goes: If hockey sticks cost so much, how come they break so easily? P.S.S. Lady Luck: where are you when the Islanders need you? P.S.S.S. Two little words from Noah Dobson -- he assisted on the Isle goal with Cal Clutterbuck -- summed up the final feelings: "It's raw!"
