The Senators fell behind early 3-0, made a late third period charge, but couldn't complete the comeback.
Make it two straight losses for the Ottawa Senators. On Thursday night, they followed up a 5-1 dud in Buffalo with a 4-2 loss to the visiting New York Islanders. Bo Horvat led the way with a goal and two assists for the Isles. Tim Stutzle helped set up both goals for the Senators who outshot the Isles 30-25.
In Buffalo on Tuesday night, the Sens struggles began at the start of periods. Tonight, the Islanders made hay at end of the second period.
After 35 minutes of scoreless hockey at both ends, Anders Lee broke the dam at the 15:49 mark. Lee was left completely unchecked in the slot, and after a nice backhand pass from behind the net from Ryan Pulock, Lee pounded the puck past Anton Forsberg to give the Islanders the lead.
Less than three minutes later, former Senator J.G. Pageau made it 2-0. He took advantage of a bad pinch by Jake Sanderson, who tried to jump up on Pageau in the Islander zone. Pageau quickly passed it out wide and worked a give and go with Bo Horvat. Sanderson got a piece of Horvat's pass, but not enough as Pageau sprinted past him and scored on a breakaway.
Against any other team, Pageau scoring a goal like that might have made Sens fans feel warm and nostalgic.
Early in the third, after a poor rim attempt by Forsberg was intercepted, it led to a scramble in front of Ottawa's net. The puck squirted out to Oliver Wahlstrom who scored from the high slot to make it 3-0 Islanders.
Things looked bleak at that point but in reality, it was about to get interesting.
At 7:43 of the third, Sens defenceman Nick Jensen ruined the shutout bid. Jensen was given all day to walk in from the point and score on a with a strong wrist shot.
With six and a half minutes to play, Maxim Tsyplakov was called for boarding on a hard hit on Claude Giroux. Giroux seemed fine afterward. But moments later, he was spotted going down the tunnel, smashing his stick on the wall. It might have been a concussion spotter situation he wasn't happy with.
On the power play, Drake Batherson dug into the Islander lead further, making it 3-2. He was parked at the side of the net, found a seam to the front, pulled the puck from backhand to forehand and slipped it past Semyon Varlamov.
The Senators had the Isles hemmed in the rest of the way but couldn't get the equalizer.
The Senators had no shortage of good chances on the night. Adam Gaudette rifled one off the crossbar. Thomas Chabot had a nice chance sprinting up the wing and cutting to the net in a 4 on 4 situation, and a number of other decent chances off the rush.
Attendance tonight was announced 15,677. The Senators are back at it on Saturday in Boston, a homecoming for Linus Ullmark.