Notebook: Ducks 3, Islanders 0

There was an unfamiliar feeling in the New York Islanders locker room on Monday night.
For the first time since Oct. 11, the Islanders lost a game in regulation, falling 3-0 to the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center. In the intervening 45 days, the Islanders set a franchise record with a 17-game point streak, going 15-0-2 over that span. They knew they weren't going to earn a point in every game from now to April, but the taste of defeat was sour on in the immediate aftermath of Monday's game.
BOXSCORE | TROTZ POSTGAME | THE SKINNY

"Having points for such a long time, that one kind of stings," Anthony Beauvillier said.
Ryan Getzlaf was credited with the game winner at 10:26 of the second period, while Cam Fowler and Ondrej Kase rounded out the scoring with goals 1:11 apart in the third. John Gibson made 26 saves as the Isles were shut out for the first time this season.

ISLES START STRONG, FADE VS DUCKS:

Head Coach Barry Trotz wasn't kicking cans or yelling in the room after Monday's loss, but the Islanders coach was blunt in his assesment of his team's performance.
"We got the result we deserved," Trotz said. "I didn't think we deserved to win this game."
The coach felt that his team started strong, but faded down the stretch against a desperate Ducks squad returning home. The shot totals backed up Trotz, as the Isles outshot Anaheim 16-5 in the first period, but only managed 10 shots the rest of the way.
"We weren't willing to commit enough in the second and third," Trotz said. "We had one scoring chance, maybe, in the third and maybe one or two in the second. Not good enough. The bottom line was that they were more committed than we were."
The game remained scoreless after the Isles first-period blitz and it was Anaheim who opened the scoring at 10:26 of the second period. It was an unlucky bounce on the Isles end, as Jordan Eberle's clearing attempt deflected over Thomas Greiss and in, with Getzlaf getting credited with the goal.

The second period was the antithesis of the first for the Islanders, as they were outshot 15-7 in the middle frame. Greiss, who entered the game with eight straight wins, kept the Isles within one, notably denying Nicolas Deslauriers on a second period breakaway.
The Ducks eventually pulled away in the third period, as Fowler and Kase scored 1:11 apart. Getzlaf forced a turnover down low and fed a pinching Fowler at 13:13, while Kase beat Greiss with a wrister off the half wall at 14:24. The Isles managed three shots on net in the final frame.
"We were definitely off for sure and fought the puck a little bit," said Brock Nelson, whose slap shot from the slot early in the third was the Isles best chance of the final 40 minutes. "A couple of bounces didn't go our way and we were chasing a bit. They played hard and fast."
The shutout loss was a hard way for the point streak to end, but the Isles said they plan to use it as a fuel for Wednesday's game against LA, the final stop of a three-game California swing.
"It'll be a lesson for us," Nelson said. "It wasn't our best effort on the road against a good team in a tough building. We'll have to respond on Wednesday and try to start another streak."

JOHNSTON IN, KOIVULA OUT:

Ross Johnston returned to the Islanders lineup for the first time since Nov. 16 in Philadelphia. Otto Koivula came out of the lineup after playing four straight games. Josh Bailey shifted to center in Koivula's absence.

NEXT GAME:

The Islanders wrap up their California road trip on Wednesday night when they take on the LA Kings. Puck drop is at 10:30 p.m.