3 Takeaways: Isles Eliminated from Playoffs with 4-2 Loss to Maple Leafs

The New York Islanders were officially eliminated from postseason contention on Sunday night, falling 4-2 to the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena.
The mathematical elimination was largely a formality, putting an end to the Islanders longshot playoff hopes. The Isles (79 points) are 15 points back of the Washington Capitals (94 points) with seven games to play.

"It's disappointing," Ryan Pulock said. "Obviously we knew a couple of months ago that we had dug ourselves a hole and we're going to have to fight to the end to try to get ourselves out of it. You know, obviously, coming up short this early sucks and we expect a lot more of this group and it's just frustrating."
MAPLE LEAFS 4, ISLANDERS 2
ISLANDERS ARTICLES
Gamecenter
Rapid Recap
ISLANDERS-MAPLE LEAFS VIDEO
Full Highlights

KINGER'S CALLS
Beauvillier's PPG
Bailey's 11th of the Year
The Islanders will miss the first time since the 2017-18 season and for the first time under Head Coach Barry Trotz. The Islanders had gone to the third round of the playoffs in each of the past two seasons, but were derailed by an 11-game winless streak, a 13-game road trip, covid outbreaks and postponements and injuries in the first half of the year.
"We've had this discussion as we knew the what the odds were, and all that," Trotz said. "So I think we've come to a realization a while ago, but we're just going to continue to play. This group will play to the end."
The Islanders have seven games remaining this season. Pulock echoed Trotz's sentiment that the team, who is 14-7-2 in their 22 games, will play out the end of the season strong to prepare for next year.
"Keep working on our game. Keep playing the right way. And you have to show up every night with our best effort and try to win every single game," Pulock said. "That's the type of group we have, no one's going to quit because we're officially out it's just going to keep fighting. Guys are going to be battling for ice time and playing time and I think it's important for us to keep working on our game."

ISLES CAN'T HOLD LEADS VS LEAFS:

The Islanders had a pair of leads in Sunday's game, but saw 1-0 and 2-1 advantages get wiped out by quick comebacks from the Maple Leafs.
Anthony Beauvillier opened the scoring with a power-play goal at 14:17 of the first period. Beauvillier, who snapped a nine-game point drought, had plenty of time and space at the right dot, beating a screened Jack Campbell far side.
The 1-0 lead didn't last long, as Mitch Marner evened the score 3:14 later, knocking in a Mark Giordano rebound after Ilya Sorokin made a quality first save on the Leafs defenseman. Marner's goal was his fourth in three games against the Islanders this season.
The Islanders took a lead early in the second period, as Alex Kerfoot swatted at a puck in front of the net that turned into an own goal 31 seconds into the frame. Bailey was given credit for the unassisted goal.
The Leafs, who came back from 2-0, 3-1 and 4-3 vs Ottawa on Saturday night, took the lead before the end of the period. Pierre Engvall finished a two-on-one rush with Kerfoot to tie the score at 10:49, while William Nylander put Toronto ahead with a power-play goal at 13:20. Nylander had all sorts of time and space in the Islanders zone after a botched clearing attempt at the blueline took the Islanders out of their structure against the league's top power play.
The Isles penalty kill did come up with a big 1:21 kill during a Leafs' two-man advantage to give New York a chance. That allowed the Islanders to stay in the game, but they could not convert. Kyle Palmieri was robbed by a sprawling Campbell and Barzal, who saw an extended shift with Anders Lee and Brock Nelson, also had a quality look.
Toronto outshot the Islanders 16-9 in the final frame with David Kampf eventually icing it with an empty-netter.
With the loss, the Islanders were swept in the season series vs Toronto.

LINEUP NOTES:

Semyon Varlamov missed his second-straight game with a stomach illness, meaning that Sorokin made his fourth-straight start and played for the third time in four days. Ken Appleby served as the backup for a second straight game.
Up front, Ross Johnston drew in for Oliver Wahlstrom, dropping the gloves with Wayne Simmonds in the first period. Sebastian Aho replaced Grant Hutton on the blueline, as Hutton caught the stomach bug, per Trotz. Aho was returning to the lineup for the first time since Apr. 1 vs the Rangers and played on a pairing with Andy Greene.

NEXT GAME:

After playing three straight games on the road - and eight of their last nine away from UBS Arena - the Islanders return home on Tuesday night to take on the Florida Panthers at 7:30 p.m. Five of the Islanders last seven games will be played on home ice.