New York Islanders Demoralizing 3-1 Loss to Nasville

If the loss against Boston was disappointing, the New York Islanders loss to the Nashville Predators was demoralizing. Just another way for the Isles to make things difficult with a handful of games left.

Losing back-to-back games is bad enough, but losing them in the fashion that they lost against Boston and Nashville is absolutely demoralizing for anyone wearing a New York Islanders jersey.

Oh, and did I mention that the Islanders are fighting for a playoff spot? Of course not, because you already knew that. So why don’t they?

I know. They clearly know their fighting for a playoff spot. But those two efforts against Boston and now Nashville have not been good enough. Not even close.

A Not So Good Effort

The first period was a drab affair by the Isles. For the fourth period in a row, they failed to register double-digit shots on goal.

During that first, the Isles replay team got to flex their muscle when they caught a great offside in the lead up to the Preds first goal. Only for the Preds to answer just a few minutes later with a good clean non-reviewable goal.

More from Eyes On Isles

• Islanders: Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock Could Be Olympic Bound
• Islanders key to success: Load management with goalies
• Islanders Zdeno Chara trending in the right direction
• Islanders: Semyon Varlamov Deserves Benefit of the Doubt
• Islanders Ilya Sorokin becoming number one goalie

That’s alright. The Isles had the break to get themselves into the game. Take a sniff of some sniffing salts and get pumped for the next period.

And then Nashville scores to make it 2-1 three minutes into the period. Not the way to get the comeback under way. Remember….playoffs!

If the first period was “not a good effort” then the second was more of the same.

Failing to capitalize on three power plays, making them 0/9 in their last two games, and probably dragging them close to Detroit powerplay territory by now.

But then something magical happened. Josh Bailey came to the rescue and cut the Predators lead but half with a superb deflected goal. That goal put him to 52 points on the season and a total of 20 more than last year.

Then The Third Happened

That header makes it seem like something abysmal happened. Nothing abysmal happened. Actually, aside from that empty net goal nothing happened.

No penalties were assessed and both teams managed 19 shot between the two of them. It was a complete drab affair. The only drama was the fact that Tampa Bay had tied the Blackhawks after trailing 4-1.

(Tampa ended up winning 5-4 in OT and leapfrogging us in the standings)

Next: Strome Has Met Expectations

Sure the Isles have played four games in six days, that’s not easy to do. But other teams have to do. That can’t be used as a justifiable complaint.