It certainly wasn't for a lack of chances on Saturday.
The Islanders outshot the Red Wings by a healthy margin all night, but despite a 30-12 shot advantage through two periods, the Isles found themselves down 2-1. The shot totals were a little more even in the third period (12-10 Isles), but while the quantity of the chances went down, the quality went up.
Valtteri Filppula had Bernier dead-to-rights off his second rebound, but the sprawling Red Wings goalie knocked the puck out of the air with his goal stick in a last-ditch effort with six minutes to play. Ryan Pulock rang a shot off the post down the stretch and with seconds remaining on the clock, Devon Toews couldn't stuff a loose puck home.
"We probably had 25, 30 chances here. Today we hit posts, they did a good job and Bernier had one of those nights," Trotz said. "If he doesn't have that night, you're probably sitting here with a 4-1 win."
On a night where the Isles grade-A chances wouldn't go, it was extra frustrating to see Andreas Athanasiou's centering feed deflect off Pulock and in at 2:59 of the first period. Athanasiou finished the night with both Red Wings goals, stuffing a Danny DeKeyser slap pass in at the side of the net at 9:57 of the third period.
"It's discouraging, but it doesn't have to last for too long," Hickey said. "We have another chance tomorrow and I like our chances if we play like that again."
The loss means the Islanders (89 points) stay two points back of the Washington Capitals (91 points) for the Metropolitan Division lead, though the Capitals play on Saturday night vs Tampa Bay. The Islanders did get some relief in the form of St. Louis' 5-1 win over Pittsburgh on Saturday, keeping the Penguins (87 points) at bay.