Devils Vanquished by Islanders, Palmieri in 5-1 Loss | GAME STORY

The New York Islanders are desperate for points as they cling to a Wild Card spot in the East.
And the New Jersey Devils found out just how desperate with every hit, and every puck battle, the Islanders were relentless and Ilya Sorokin was a wall for the Islanders in net.
The Devils leave Long Island without a point in a5-1 loss,stymied by the Islanders. Longtime Devil, now Islander Kyle Palmieri had a three-point night (2g, 1a) to haunt his former team and lead the Islanders to victory.

"Obviously they're fighting for a playoff spot, they're desperate," Timo Meier said post-game, "I thought over the full game they won more battles, they were harder on pucks and that's what cost us the game. We've got to find a way to get that next gear in."
Erik Haula had the lone New Jersey goal, beating Sorokin with a shorthanded shot. A second puck would make it past Sorokin in the third period, only to be called off for a kicking motion.
Pierre Engvall opened the scoring for New York, and Bo Horvat and Zach Parise both hit the empty net for the Islanders' fourth and fifth goal.
The Devils return to action on Thursday night against the New York Rangers who remain four points back of the Devils.

"I think that we clinched a spot (last game), and I don't know if our group dealt with that," head coach Lindy Ruff said, "It's a learning experience. You're excited about where you got to, but you've got to put it away in a hurry and I didn't think we put it away in a hurry."

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The Devils host their rival and potential Round One opponent in the NY Rangers Thursday. The game can be seen on MSGSN and heard on the Devils Hockey Network, including right here at NewJerseyDevils.com. Puck drop is 7:08 p.m. ET.
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Here are some observations from the game...
- For a second consecutive game, the Devils ran with seven 11 forwards and seven defensemen, allowing for both Brendan Smith and Kevin Bahl to remain in the lineup, as the two defensemen who have often swapped out for one another.

Up-front that left both Jesper Boqvist and Nolan Foote out of the game lineup. - Erik Haula opened the scoring for the Devils with a shorthanded goal, his second shorthanded goal of the season. With Jack Hughes in the box, Haula skated down the wing and fired a shot on Ilya Sorokin that beat the Islanders goalie cleanly.

It was the eighth shorthanded goal of the season for New Jersey, and the sixth shorthanded goal conceded by the Islanders on the year.

Hughes' penalty was just his third of the season (after going all last season without a single penalty). - The desperation from the Islanders was palpable as they try to hold on to their Wild Card spot in the East. They took the Devils to task physically, laying out hits at every opportunity and often running through Vitek Vanecek's crease.

The Islanders were quick to set the tone of the game laying out big hits which would continue throughout the game.

After the first period, the Devils were out-hit 10-5, 18-10 after two periods of play and 24-13 after the game.

"I think that they had a few players we knew were going ot finish checks," Ruff said, "when you look at our game and you have the puck, you might get hit a few more times. You've got to get back up and compete." - Tomas Tatar thought he had scored a goal just before the halfway point of the third period when he a Dougie Hamilton shot rebounded off the post and in Tatar's direction. Defending for space at Sorokin's glove-side, the puck ended up at Tatar's feet and challenging to the net went in off his skate behind Sorokin.

The referee's immediately waved the goal off for a kicking motion and once again upon further review came up with the same determination, much to Tatar - and the Devils - misfortune and displeasure.

Tatar could be seen on TV saying after the 'No Goal' announcement, 'Are you kidding me?'

"I disagree with the call," Tatar said post-game, "Apparently it was a kicking motion, but I didn't see the puck. It hit my skate. I don't really know how I kicked it, but that's what they called." - For the first time this season the Devils lost a game by more than three goals.

• Devils fans represented well at UBS Arena, plenty of red present in the seats. They were especially noticeable with chants of Vitek! Vitek!on a couple of big-time saves by the Devils netminder.