If Tuesday night’s game against the Ottawa Senators was “must-win” like the Islanders coach Lane Lambert told reporters earlier in the day, the team would be in trouble.
Thankfully, that’s not the case, but it’s not looking good for the Islanders.
Due to their position in the standings — one point behind the final Wild Card spot — the Islanders can’t afford to lose many games especially to teams below them. That’s why blowing a lead, squandering a chance in extra time before falling in a shootout to the lowly Senators was not ideal.
Sure, the Islanders picked up a crucial point in their pursuit of a playoff berth, but they have now lost three in a row and the last two in a shootout.
“It’s just disheartening when you put in an effort, and can’t break through,” Lambert said after Tuesday’s loss.
The Islanders did a great job getting shots on goal. They had 48 in total, it’s just unfortunate that Senators goalie Kevin Mandolesewho made his NHL debut, saved 46 of them including shutting New York out in the shootout.
After a scoreless first period, Ryan Pulock got the Islanders on the board with a goal in the 15th minute of the second. Once New York fell behind in the third, Brock Nelson launched a one-timer at 7:13 of the third period to tie the game.
The Nelson score was a power play goal, something the team has gotten better at in recent games, something Lambert credits the team’s entries for. However, the lack of power play efficiency in overtime may haunt this Islanders team.
New York had a four-on-three chance in the extra period, but could not find the back of the net. A golden opportunity to pick up the extra point and put pressure on the teams they are chasing in the standings lost, and the team knows it.
“We’re all disappointed in the result,” Noah Dobson said after the game. “These are big points, back to back games coming up short in extra time, but we can’t dwell on it. We just got to move past, take the positives, learn from the bad and get ready for the next game.”
The next game for the Islanders is a huge one. They’ll host the Penguins, who entered Tuesday one point ahead of the Islanders, on Friday night before traveling to Boston to take on the Bruins and then heading to Pittsburgh to take on the Pens again on Monday.
It’s a brutal stretch of games for a team coming off back-to-back letdowns but they also see it as an opportunity to fix their problems and make up ground.
“We need to be better, but sometimes when we are in a tough spot like that, it’s a tough matchup, sometimes we’re able to find it,” Pulock said of the tough schedule. “So it’s gonna be important that we take these days and just prepare and we need everyone mentally focused on the right things.
“We’re getting late in the year and every single point matters and that point tonight could matter, but we want to find two. And it’s just a matter of being ready and being at our best for a full sixty.”
Lambert added, “We have an opportunity coming up here very shortly to play teams that were even with, neck and neck or somewhat trailing. So I think it’s a good opportunity for us. I do welcome it.”
If the Islanders right the ship they can find themselves in a playoff spot this time next week. If they don’t, then the team will really feel like each game is a “must-win.”