New York Islanders Takeaways from Loss to Colorado

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Jan 6, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen (96) defends a shot on goal attempt by New York Islanders left wing Josh Bailey (12) in the first period at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /

Rust Never Rests, But It Sets With Rest

I know that title isn’t exactly the name of Niel Young’s famous 1979 album, but it’s close enough to sound convincing. You wouldn’t have known otherwise without me saying anything.

The Islanders looked sluggish, out of sync, and exactly how you think a team would look if they’d just come off a mandated five-day break without any practice. This game was a tough watch.

For the entirety of the first period alone, the Islanders struggled to get the puck out of the neutral zone and into the Avalanche’s end.

Passes didn’t go to their intended targets, or players were routinely out of position. It was a hot mess. Count yourself lucky if you missed the first period.

And as if the Isles struggling to remember how to play professional hockey right in front of our eyes wasn’t enough, the Avalanche scored in that first frame.

Starting the week-long break on the road in Winnipeg on New Years and then having to go back out on the road reduced anytime the team had to get a good practice in, even if they voted to usurp the CBA to do so.

Not like it helped at all. Although maybe it could have been worse. God.