The Isles returned from the All-Star break with the daunting task of playing four consecutive games against first-place teams – two meetings in Atlanta sandwiching home games against Buffalo and Detroit. Without much of a contribution from their captain, they’ve managed to gain points in every game, going 2-0-2.
Glass Half Empty
Turnabout was not considered fair play after last Tuesday night's loss to the Red Wings at the Nassau Coliseum.
Only days after a loss that felt like a point gained -- coming back from a 3-0 first-period deficit in Atlanta to force OT before losing, 5-4 on Jan. 26 – the Isles self destructed in the third period, blowing a 3-0 lead before succumbing 4-3 in overtime.
"We pissed away two points and it's very upsetting" said defenseman and assistant captain Brendan Witt. "To lose two big points [like that] is just disgusting."
"I thought we played about as good as we could play for the first two periods and about as bad as we could play in the last one," coach Ted Nolan said. "We let them do what they do best in the third period. They skated, they moved the puck and we sat back and watched ... it's not a 40-minute game, it's a 60 minute game."
But there was enough blame to go around in Nolan's opinion. The Red Wings had seven power plays as opposed to the Islanders' two, and Nolan found many of the calls suspect.
"I still have to look at the tape, because I don't even know if they were penalties,” said Nolan, who also felt Niklas Lidstrom closed his hand on the puck and carried it before assisting on Henrik Zetterberg game-winner.
But goaltender Rick DiPietro was more focused on his team’s tentative play in the third period.
“The power plays weren’t as upsetting as the fact that I don’t think we played the type of hockey we were playing in the first two periods,” DiPietro said. “It’s tough to swallow, absolutely.”
Road to ruin... or glory?
Thursday's win in Atlanta was the last of four consecutive games against first-place teams, but the first of a six-game stretch in which the Islanders play five road games. Those will also be their only road games of the month, as they finish February with the first six games of a seven-game homestand.
