New York Islanders Mistake Cost them Point vs Vegas Golden Knights

A series of mistakes made on a single play cost the New York Islanders at least a single point versus the Vegas Golden Knights.

The New York Islanders dropped two points against the Vegas Golden Knights. It’s the second such game in a row where the Islanders dropped points after a 3-2 shootout loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday.

With only a single power play it wasn’t the special teams that can be blamed for the Islanders loss tonight.

After a solid game from top to bottom it was a few mistakes in the third period that cost the Islanders a chance to pick up at least a point against the Golden Knights.

First Period

Again, I feel like I say this all the time, the Isles didn’t start the game on the right foot. A full 34 seconds into the game Jonathan Marchessault scored glove side on Robin Lehner.

Mathew Barzal would not be out done. Barzal drove into the Vegas zone  on the forecheck and jarred the puck lose and eventually worked it over cross-ice to Johnny Boychuk who found an Anthony Beauvillier who was shouting for the puck.

Both teams solidified their game after trading goals early on. The Isles would go 0/1 on the power play during the first period. No surprise there with the way the power play has been going of late.

Second Period

The New York Islanders spent most of the second period on the offense. At the eleven minute mark Adam Pelech, with a great feed from Mathew Barzal (again) would make it 2-1 for the Islanders.

That was Barzal’s second point of the night and first multi-point game since November 13th.

Unfortunately the Vegas Golden Knights would answer just a few minutes later through William Karlsson who was wide open after Anders Lee blew a tier at the blue line. (A muffed Leddy clear didn’t help things either).

Third Period

There was a 16 minute delay before the puck was dropped for the third period with the lights failing to turn on.

Three and a half minutes into the third frame the Vegas retook the lead from Tomas Nosek who capitalized on a series of mistakes by the Islanders.

Ryan Pulock first gave the puck away cheaply, Robin Lehner failed to then cover up the puck, and Thomas Hickey failed to clear the front of the net. All of that result in the easiest goal Nosek has ever scored.

The goal would prove to be the game winner. The New York Islanders pulled Lehner with a minute and change to go and just couldn’t generate any sort of offense.

The Isles dropped more points in a game that they should have won. At the very least they should have been able to take a point.

Three Stars

1. Mathew Barzal: 2 Assists

Barzal was the best Isles player on the ice, without question. He was creator in chief for the Islanders and without him the Isles aren’t in this contest.

2. Nate Schmidt

He was all over the Islanders the entire game. Just getting in shooting lanes and making simple plays out of the zone. What a pickup from the Washington Capitals

3. Fans

To all of those that made the trek to Brooklyn and eventually used your phones to light up the place, you get the third star.