Islanders Officially Eliminated After Loss in Toronto

The New York Islanders were in action tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs looking for their first win of the season over Toronto. Ilya Sorokin was back in net again for the Isles as Semyon Varlamov remained out with an illness.

In the first period, the Islanders got on the board first courtesy of Antony Beauvillier:

Nice patience shown by Anthony Beauvillier here as he waits for just the right moment to pull the trigger for his 12th goal of the season. Toronto would bounce back though with a goal from Mitch Marner towards the end of the period. Ilya Sorokin was able to stop the first shot that he faced but the rebound went right to Marner for his 34th of the season.

Just 31 seconds into the second period, Josh Bailey gave the Islanders the lead once again

Actually, Alex Kerfoot put this one in his own net technically but Bailey was the last Islander to touch it. The momentum would switch over to Toronto for the rest of the period. Pierre Engvall scored his 14th of the year and then on a power play, courtesy of Casey Cizikas, William Nylander netted his 31st of the year to give Toronto a 3-2 lead.

In the third the Islanders looked like the Islanders were going to head to a power play off a delay of game. The refs huddled and decided not to call it. Instead, Zdeno Chara went off for tripping and then Adam Pelech for delay of game. Ilya Sorokin stood on his head on the 5-on-3 to keep it a one goal game.

Toronto continued the momentum after their power play but the Isles were sticking around with a good effort of their own. Unfortunately it was too little too late for the Islanders though who were unable to get the equalizer. Toronto would score the empty net goal and that would do it, 4-2.

The Islanders are also officially eliminated from the playoffs today.