New York Islanders Lose In Opening Period vs. Dallas Stars (Highlights)
New York Islanders put up one of the worst efforts we’ve seen them put up all year. Even the season opener against the Columbus Blue Jackets wasn’t as bad.
Blow out games happen. But when a blow out happens you’d like the losing team to put up a fight. The New York Islanders were that team tonight. And they didn’t put up a fight at all.
Right from the opening faceoff, the New York Islanders looked like they didn’t belong. They were physically in the building, but mentally the Islanders were still in Brooklyn.
Within a minute and a half, the Dallas Stars were up by one thanks to a John Klingberg 4-on-4 goal. The Islanders were flat-footed on that goal with captain John Tavares getting ghosted by Klingberg.
It Got Worse. Much Worse
By the end of the first period, the Islanders were down 3-0. The worst lead in hockey with 40 minutes left to play. The New York Islanders had a chance. Or at least some of us thought they might.
And the Islanders certainly came out well in the second period. But it didn’t last. Thanks to a play that will sit in the memory bank of Josh Bailey detractors for the rest of time.
The Stars would add a fifth goal later in the second to complete the 5-0 rout.
The Islanders did absolutely nothing right against the Stars. They took stupid penalties. They generated few chances. They couldn’t bury the few chances they generated. Their goaltending was subpar. They couldn’t win a faceoff to save their life. They went 0% on the power play and let up a short-handed goal.
That short-handed goal against was the seventh they allowed. Which is the worst in the NHL in that category.
With a 5-0 loss, the Islanders were shut out for only the second time of the season and they looked absolutely terrible doing so. Want to know how terrible? The Islanders put up 14 shots on Ben Bishop. Fourteen. They put up 13 in two separate periods against the Oilers.
You can then understand Doug Weight’s post-match words with Shannon Hogan:
Next: Three Areas The Isles Need To Improve
Now the Islanders go to St. Louis to face one of the best in the NHL. You’d have to expect that there’s going to be some lineup changes. Oh, wait. They only have extra defensemen for the trip…