Third Period Meltdown Kills the Islanders (Highlights)

After ending their losing streak, the New York Islanders headed home to take on the Nashville Predators. Honestly, it was a great start to this game for the Islanders. They had Mathew Barzal cooking early and then their new make-shift third line came up with a big goal.

Kieffer Bellows fed Oliver Wahlstrom who found Austin Czarnik for his first goal of the season at the 6:48 of the period. If Wahlstrom starts racking assists up then that just adds a totally new element to his game.

We have two more goals to talk about in the first period but first we have to talk about Zdeno Chara. He downright murdered Yakov Trenin in a fight after he took a run at Sebastian Aho.

It was a complete beatdown from the veteran d-man. Anyway, the Islanders 1-0 lead wouldn't hold. Sebastian Aho tried to settle a puck but was pressured into a turnover which led to Ryan Johansen scoring his eighth of the season.

Just over a minute later, Colton Sissons scored after a big rebound allowed by Semyon Varlamov and just like that, the Islanders found themselves down a goal at the end of the first.

1:56 into the period, the Islanders were on the power play and Anders Lee was doing Anders Lee things to tie this game back up.

What do you know? Mat Barzal picked up another assist as well. The Isles looked much better in the second period as shots were even at eight a piece but they see,ed to settle down after a poor ending to the first.

Early in the third, both teams had a couple of good looks, Mathew Barzal found Anders Lee for a look that couldn't go but then Noah Dobson was able to find the back of the net as his hot streak continues.

In Ryan Pulock's absence the Islanders needed Noah Dobson to step up and man has he found another level with his game. This Isles lead was short lived though as Yakov Trenin was able to beat Semyon Varlamov to tie the game.

Andy Greene couldn't keep up and Sebastian Aho was weak in front of the net and Trenin just made them pay. Sure, Greene's lack of speed hurt but that was a second goal that Sebastian Aho's mistake played a role in.

Well, it went from bad to worse. With just 11 seconds left in the third period Eeli Tolvanen scored to give the Predators a 4-3 lead. Noah Dobson just threw the puck along the boards and nobody was home on the other end.

Unbelievably frustrating as the wait for the first win at UBS will have to wait another day.