New York Islanders Embarrassingly Lose Fifth Straight To Montreal

Again the New York Islanders lose, and again against a Montreal Canadiens team that as officially as possible in tank mode.

Last I checked the New York Islanders hadn’t yet officially declared that they were tanking. We didn’t get a New York Rangers styled letter declaring the season is over. Our top players aren’t being shut down for the season with a month left like Montreal Canadiens either.

Yet the product on the ice certainly seems like the Islanders are tanking. Again, for the fifth time in a row, the New York Islanders were on the losing end. This time falling 6-3 to the aforementioned Montreal Canadiens.

With the fifth loss in a row, the Islanders are now six points out of a playoff spot. And now both Carolina and Florida have jumped over the Islanders. And Detroit, Detroit, another team officially tanking, is only three points away from the Islanders.

No Highlights

This game was an absolute embarrassment. The New York Islanders (outside of Mathew Barzal) looked focused for about three minutes the entire game. Yes, Tanner Fritz, Josh Bailey, and Brock Nelson scored. But it was all for not as the Isles let in three straight after Nelson’s tieing goal.

More from Eyes On Isles

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• Islanders: Semyon Varlamov Deserves Benefit of the Doubt
• Islanders Ilya Sorokin becoming number one goalie
• Islanders Zach Parise Was Quiet in Return to Minnesota

Sure the Islanders held the Canadiens to 25 shots against on the night. In terms of shot suppression, the Islanders seem to be on the right road. At least when it comes to sheer volume. But they still allowed six goals against (one on an empty net).

Too often the Islanders defenders left Canadiens alone in the slot, right in a high-danger area with four to sometimes five defenders around him. Defending 101 tells you that shouldn’t happen. Ever. Someone tell the Islanders, please.

Again, the Montreal Canadiens aren’t playing to win. Sorry, let me rephrase that. They aren’t constructed to win. Their number one defender is out for the season. Their number one world-class-best-in-his-position goaltender is out for the season. Both Victor Mete and Max Pacioretty were forced from the game tonight.

And yet, somehow the Islanders still managed to get routed. As a fan, this is absolutely embarrassing.

We keep thinking this can’t get any worse, but night after night it’s literally been getting worse. And there’s no end in sight. Even the offseason might not be the respite from the regular season, as we continue to deal with the will-he-wont-he dance of the Tavares extension. Or the we-love-to-hate-one-another relationship between Brett Yormark and Barclays and the Islanders.

The New York Islanders don’t even get a chance to sit and stew on this, they’re back at it the very next day against a Pittsburgh Penguins that desperately wants to get back to winning ways. The song “The Sound of Silence” is playing on a loop in my mind right now. Admit it. It is for you too.