Islanders Meltdown in Third Period to Vancouver

The New York Islanders finally returned home after a trip out west to take on the Vancouver Canucks. The game started slow as neither team found the back of the net in the first period. Vancouver had more of the opportunities outshooting the Islanders 13-8 through 20 minutes.

In the second, both teams found their scoring touch. Noah Dobson got the party going with his 10th goal of the year.

Noah Dobson ladies and gentlemen. The kid is absolutely on fire as he's been one of the most productive defensemen in the entire NHL since the calendar flipped to December.

With 27 points in 49 games, he's pacing out to a 45 point d-man who can play big minutes. The step he took in year three is exactly what this team needed and it's huge for them going forward beyond this year.

Unfortunately, that lead didn't last long. Brad Hunt scored his first of the season on a charmin soft one allowed from Semyon Varlamov. Sure, Sebastian Aho *might* have gotten taken down but still what a poor effort on that goal allowed.

JT Miller would deflect one past Varly a few minutes later on a Brock Boeser shot that gave the Canucks their first lead of the night. Luckily, the Islanders were able to tie up the game before the end of the period as Kyle Palmieri netted his seventh of the season:

What a rip off the faceoff! This is exactly the player the Isles were hoping that they were getting when they traded for and then extended in the offseason. He now has six goals in his last nine games. It's too little too late for 2022 but since he's under contract for three more years, the Isles need him to keep this up going forward.

In the third period, things started well as Anthony Beauvillier gave the Islanders a 3-2 lead. That ad did not last long as the Islanders went into meltdown mode. Nils Hoglander tied the game at three and then 45 seconds later Vasily Podkolzin scored his 10th of the year to give Vancouver the lead once again.

They just made too many mental mistakes and then couldn't get a clutch save from Semyon Varlamov who looks pretty much finished out there. The Islanders tried to show life at the end of the third but couldn't tie this one up falling 4-3.

They play an early afternoon game on Saturday against the St Louis Blues. Hopefully, Ilya Sorokin is in net for that one.