3 Takeaways: Isles Let Lead Slip in 4-3 OT Loss to Hurricanes

The New York Islanders extended their point streak on Saturday night, but their struggles against the Carolina Hurricanes continued as well in a 4-3 overtime loss at UBS Arena.

Noah Dobson, Simon Holmstrom (SHG) and Mathew Barzal (1G, 1A) built a 3-0 lead for the Islanders, but Jalen Chatfield, Dmitry Orlov and Jesperi Kotkaniemi (1G, 1A) scored to force overtime with Sebastian Aho completing the Carolina comeback at 1:14 of the extra frame. Ilya Sorokin made 43 saves in the overtime loss, while Antti Raanta made 22 saves in the win.

“It’s just frustrating,” Captain Anders Lee said. “Unsettling.”

While the Islanders point streak grew to five points (3-0-2), their regular season winless skid at home vs Carolina extended to six games (0-4-2) leaving the salty taste the Isles were looking to wash out against the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last season.

“It’s unfortunate because it’s a big point, especially against a divisional team,” Barzal said. “I thought we played a pretty good game for the first 40 and then in the third period we kind of sat back just a touch and couldn’t get the puck out of our zone. We’ll find a way to not let that happen again.”

ISLES LOSE THREE-GOAL LEAD:

There was palpable frustration in the Islanders locker room after Saturday night’s defeat.

The Isles rued the point lost and stewed over the way it happened, as they let a 3-0 lead slip away against a Metropolitan Division rival and perennial thorn in the side.

The Isles appeared to be in the driver’s seat by the time Mathew Barzal put them ahead 3-0 midway through the second period, but the shot-happy Hurricanes surged in the back half of the game. The shift happened almost immediately, as Jalen Chatfield answered Barzal’s goal in 32 seconds, putting a shot off through traffic, off an Islanders defenseman and by Ilya Sorokin.

The Canes turned up the heat in the third period, outshooting the Islanders 21-5 in the period. Sorokin stood tall on quality chances from Andrei Svechnikov (2A) and backdoor play by Jordan Staal. A Dmitry Orlov shot hit the Isles’ Sebastian Aho and beat Sorokin to make it 3-2 at 12:19 and that proved to be the crack in the dam.

“We just have to find ways to close it out,” Dobson said. “We didn’t execute well enough in the third, we were stuck in our own end the whole time. That’s not a good recipe for success, so we’ll take it, learn from it, move on and get ready for the next one.”

Jesperi Kotkaniemi tied the score with one second left on a Canes power play, as Svechnikov recovered the puck after an Isles faceoff win and fed Kotkaniemi in front for the tying goal at 15:26.

“We have to make plays when we get the puck on our stick,” Lambert said. “When we turn it over, we just spent time in our zone, so some poise and composure, some communication. And, you getting out of own zone is key, that's really what changed.”

The Islanders had their chances in overtime, but their OT record ultimately fell to 0-3 after Aho’s winner.

When it was all said and done, the Hurricanes outshot the Islanders 48-25 and out-attempted the Isles 101-38, as the Isles found themselves on their heels for most of the back half of the game.

While the blown three-goal lead was a first for the Isles this season, it marked the fourth multi-goal lead the Isles had surrendered. The Isles also let two-goal leads slip in the season opener vs Buffalo and against Ottawa - both games they eventually won - and in an overtime loss to Detroit. 

“We’re certainly hoping it’s not a trend,” Lambert said. “We have given away a couple of multigoal leads and it’s certainly not a recipe for success. Is it a trend? No, it’s too early, but it’s certainly something we need to make sure doesn’t become a trend.”

HOLMSTROM SCORES IN SECOND STRAIGHT:

Simon Holmstrom scored his second goal in as many games, converting on a shorthanded two-on-one rush with JG Pageau at 4:11 of the second period.

Pageau made the play possible, pressuring Hurricanes defenseman Brent Burns at the point, creating a turnover that sent the two penalty killers on an uncontested two-on-none rush. Holmstrom dished to Pageau who sent it right back to the Swedish forward, who easily buried on Antti Raanta.

The shorthanded goal was the first of Holmstrom’s young career, though he and Pageau have shown chemistry together through about 11 minutes of PK time together this season. The duo previously had a two-on-none shorthanded chance against the Colorado Avalanche, though they did not convert.  

Holmstrom is now up to three goals in his first nine games of the season, which is a marked improvement in his second full season. Last year Holmstrom didn’t record his third goal until his 26^th game.

Holmstrom finished the game with a goal, two shots, two blocked shots and one takeaway in 14:40 TOI. Holmstrom’s takeaway marked his eighth of the season, which is currently second-most on the Isles.

BARZAL SCORES AND ADDS ASSIST:

While it was clouded by the result, Mathew Barzal had an effective night for Isles on Saturday.

The Islanders center had a goal and an assist, as he recorded the primary assist on Noah Dobson’s icebreaker, spinning off a check at four-on-four before dishing to the defenseman with a head of steam. Dobson made a nifty move of his own, cutting into the slot before backhanding his third of the season far side on Raanta.

Barzal took it to the house to give the Islanders a 3-0 lead at 7:46 of the second period, as he carried the puck through the neutral zone, dished to Bo Horvat to enter the Hurricanes zone and then made no mistake when Horvat dished it back, going far side on Raanta.

Barzal’s 21:08 led all Isles forwards, and his four shots on net tied for the team high. Barzal is now up to eight points (2G, 6A) through 10 games this season.

NEXT GAME:

The Isles host the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night at UBS Arena. Puck drop is at 7:30 p.m.