The New York Islanders arguably suffered their worst loss of the season with their 5-2 defeat to the Washington Capitals. Yes, they have lost plenty of heartbreaking games this season and have been defeated by significant margins, including a 5-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on April 1. However, they had a chance to put themselves in a prime position to secure a playoff spot and they lost to a Capitals team that didn’t have Alexander Ovechkin, T.J. Oshie, and a handful of regulars for the game.
The loss puts the Islanders and first-year head coach Lane Lambert in a difficult position with only one game left in the season. They don’t control their destiny whereas a win against the Capitals would have done that. The recent loss also not only snapped the Islanders’ hot streak but it made them look like a team that isn’t worthy of making the playoffs.
The Islanders were outplayed by a Capitals team that was already eliminated from the playoffs. Not only did they play down to the competition but they fell flat at a time when they needed to step up more than ever before.
Islanders’ Slow Start Dooms Them
Early on, it became clear that it wasn’t the Islanders’ night. From the opening puck drop, they looked lethargic and were two steps behind the Capitals on every shift. The slow start allowed the Capitals to score twice in the first 1:03 of the first period, immediately putting the Islanders behind.
To put the dagger into the Islanders, the Capitals scored their third goal in the first 13:13 of the game. After a brutal first period, they were chasing the game and never settled in. The Islanders were forced to play the final 40 minutes with a sense of urgency and the Capitals sensed it, allowing them to use that to their advantage.
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The Capitals built a comfortable lead early and cruised to a victory with the Islanders desperately trying to rebound. It left them in disarray and playing with their hair on fire while the Capitals calmly defended the quick shots and aggression to secure the victory.
Sorokin Has a Rough Night at the Worst Time
Ilya Sorokin has carried the Islanders all season. He is having a Vezina Trophy-caliber season with a .925 save percentage and a 2.33 goals-against average (GAA) on 1,796 shots with 37.1 goals saved above average (GSAA). The recent stretch has seen the Islanders heavily rely on him to secure a playoff spot as he’s started each of the last seven games. He stepped up for the most part, notably limiting the Lightning to one goal in the 6-1 win on April 6, and shutting out the Philadelphia Flyers in the 4-0 win on April 8. However, the surplus of high-pressure starts eventually got to him.
Sorokin only saved 20 shots and was off his game from the first period. To make matters worse, a few of the Capitals’ goals were on shots that he would typically save with ease but instead, he misplayed them. He’s been the saving grace for the Islanders all season, keeping them competitive even when the rest of the roster struggled. However, when the team needed him to step up, he unraveled and the recent performance could be what keeps the Islanders out of the playoffs.
Islanders’ Offense Disappears
The real sting from the recent loss with the offense only scoring two goals, both of which came in the third period, was the ineptitude of the stars. Brock Nelson leads the team with 34 goals, and he had only one shot on goal. Bo Horvat was acquired during the All-Star Break to help out the offense, especially when the rest of the forward unit was struggling, and he led all forwards with 20:30 of ice time and only recorded one assist. The offense struggled as a collective unit and could have used a spark from one of their top-six players but they never got one.
Likewise, the Islanders’ power play once again let them down. They had three opportunities to find the back of the net and make the game a close one and they failed to score. The unit has been a liability all season and could be what keeps the Islanders out of the playoffs. A decent power play would have made them one of the best in the Eastern Conference and instead, they are a borderline playoff team.
Islanders Hit a Wall in Kuemper
The Islanders tried to come back and make this game close, putting together great scoring chances in the second and third periods. Unfortunately, Capitals goaltender Darcy Kuemper put together a remarkable performance in the net, saving 38 of the 40 shots he faced. Moreover, he was flawless in the first two periods, making multiple big saves to give the Capitals a 3-0 lead as they entered the third period.
Occasionally, a goaltender like Kuemper can remind a team that he is elite and can eliminate an offense on a given night. He was in the net for the Colorado Avalanche last year and his Stanley Cup Final Game 6 performance, where he allowed only one goal and made 22 saves, helped secure the title. His performance against the Islanders might be the one that ends their season.
Other Takeaways From the Islanders’ Loss
- The final score was 5-2. However, it was deceiving as the game was a low-scoring affair for the first two periods of play. In the third period, the Islanders scored twice while the Capitals scored two empty-net goals, making the game appear like a high-scoring one.
- Hudson Fasching scored the Islanders’ first goal of the game and his ninth of the season. He has been a pleasant surprise all season and in a tough defeat, he gave the team life late in the third period.
- Jean-Gabriel Pageau failed to record a point but he was far and away the best skater on the ice for the Islanders. He was a constant threat in the offensive zone and hit the post three times, a sign that the puck wasn’t bouncing the right way in this game.
What’s Next for the Islanders
The Islanders end the season against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday, April 12. To say they need to win that game to keep their season alive is an understatement. However, that alone won’t be enough to secure a playoff spot. They have to win their game and hope that the Florida Panthers lose their season finale or that the Pittsburgh Penguins lose one of their final two games. The Panthers face the Carolina Hurricanes, one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference but the Penguins will wrap up the season against the Chicago Blackhawks and the Columbus Blue Jackets, two of the worst teams in the NHL.
In a game that the Islanders needed to win, they collapsed. The loss to the Capitals is one that could sting for years to come as they squandered an opportunity to put a bow on a strong season, particularly a strong second half. They went 16-9-4 since acquiring Horvat and turned themselves into Cup contenders. However, the lasting impact of this team could be their dreadful performance against the Capitals.
