Islanders v Canucks 3 takeaways from OT loss: Josh Bailey elite

With a 4-3 overtime loss to the Vancouver Canucks, what three things can we take away from the New York Islanders performance?

Coming off a ten-day break, the New York Islanders needed to continue the good work they had put in prior to the break. Shaking the rust off wasn’t going to be easy as they welcomed the red hot Vancouver Canucks to town.

While the Isles had practiced before taking the ice against the Canucks, the Pacific Division leaders had played twice over the last week with wins over the St Louis Blues and the San Jose Sharks. With those two wins, the Canuks had won four in a row as they came to Brooklyn for their date with the Islanders.

Putting in a full 60-minute effort with few mistakes would serve them well as they got their game-day legs back under them.

Playing disciplined hockey against the Canucks, who hold the seventh-best power play in the leagues, was going to be a must. An embellishment call on Barzal (while getting tripped by Adam Gaudette) was the only penalty called on the Isles, but with the tripping call to Gaudette, they weren’t shorthanded.

Over 60 minutes, the Islanders only gave up 24 shots against. Thirteen of those shots against came in the second period where the Canuks twice hit the back of the net.

And if not for a late goal in the third-period from Brock Nelson, while the Islanders net was empty, the Isles don’t get a point against the Cancuks.

That point seems like a lame prize, but after ten days away (technically) it’s good to at least get a point. Not to mention it came against a well-oiled machine like the Canucks.

Looking over the win, here are three takeaways from the game.

Josh Bailey: Elite

Josh Bailey is back to his elite ways for the New York Islanders. With the primary assist on Michael Dal Colle‘s goal in the first period, Bailey now has eight points through his last eight games.

It was some pass from Bailey, watch it here:

With that helper, Josh Bailey now has eight points over his last eight games. After only putting up a single point over a 12 game stretch leading up to this current eight-game stretch it’s great to have Josh Bailey back.

If the Islanders are to have any hope of holding off the three teams chasing them in the Metropolitan Division, they’ll need their top six players to start contributing like top-six players.

That includes Josh Bailey.

Ideally, we’ll see Barry Trotz get Josh Bailey on the ice with Anders Lee. The two of them have some well-documented chemistry together.

For now, Josh Bailey is back to his point-per-game ways. I feel bad for those who just can’t get off the “Josh Bailey is bad” bus.

Mathew Barzal Dives

Look, he does. After today it’s obvious.

It’s never fun to look our own players and state that they’re doing something that is frowned upon. But today, Mathew Barzal absolutely dived on a tripping call.

Check out the play here.

Of course, Gaudette gets his stick on Barzal’s skate (the only one on the ice). But the leg that goes flying in the air is the one not currently on the ice and then Barzal quite clearly jumps forward while in control of the puck.

Barry does not agree with my take:

Barzal was getting the tripping call anyways and he just decided to make sure the refs were going to award him the call by going to the ice…with gusto.

This is why the refs don’t give Barzal the benefit of the doubt. They feel he’s trying to buy calls up-and-down the ice. It could also have something to do with the non-stop sawing at the zebras when Barzal is on the ice.

This needs to change from Barzal. With the way he plays, he’s going to draw penalties. He doesn’t need to get involved in the dark arts of drawing penalties to get his team a call. And until he realizes this, embellishments calls will continuously be called against him.