Recap: Oilers Beat Isles 4-3 in OT

Connor McDavid scored the overtime winner, as the New York Islanders dropped a 4-3 decision to the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night at Rogers Place.
The loss was the Islanders second straight after dropping a 4-2 contest in Calgary the night before. The defeat was also the first blemish on the Islanders previously perfect record in the second night of a back-to-back set (9-0-1).
"It's a couple of tough games for us, it's going to be important here that we bounce back and re-focus and get back to playing the way we need to play," Ryan Pulock said. "The last couple of games we haven't been where we need to be."
BOXSCORE | TROTZ POSTGAME

Video: NYI@EDM: Lee buries his own rebound in front

ISLES FEEL HIGHS AND LOWS IN BACK-AND-FORTH GAME:

The Islanders felt all sorts of highs and lows in Thursday's affair. They fell behind 2-0 early after a second straight slow start, but rallied for three straight goals - including two in 28 seconds - to take a 3-2 lead into the first intermission.
They played a stingy second period, but were under siege for most of the third, as the Oilers outshot them 17-6, culminating in Oscar Kelfbom's tying goal with 2:52 to play. McDavid delivered the dagger in overtime, pulling a quick backhand around Robin Lehner (37 saves) for his 26th career game-winning goal.
The Islanders did leave Edmonton with a valuable point, but it didn't offer much solace given how they let a late lead slip away.
"It's a sour point tonight," captain Anders Lee said.

ISLES START SLOW FOR SECOND STRAIGHT GAME:

For the second straight game, the Islanders put themselves in an early hole. Two early penalties gave the Oilers power play plenty of practice, with McDavid finding Leon Draisaitl in the slot for a tip at 5:12. Sam Gagner followed it up with a backdoor tap-in at 6:30 to make it 2-0 Oilers.
Unlike Wednesday's first period against Calgary, the Islanders managed to rally in the opening frame to take a 3-2 lead.
Anders Lee took a few whacks at a Johnny Boychuk rebound before beating Mikko Koskinen (20 saves) to put the Islanders on the board at 12:57, while also extending his scoring streak to three straight games.
The Isles ignited their power play late in the first, scoring a pair of goals 28 seconds apart to turn the 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead. Brock Nelson hammered a one-timer past Koskinen on a five-on-three at 19:21, while Cal Clutterbuck redirected a Pulock feed at 19:49, stunning the crowd at Rogers Place.
But the burst scoring was all the Isles had in them on Thursday and with 40 minutes left, the Oilers slowly built momentum, leaning on a road-weary Isles squad in the third period.
"We sat back too much. We were sitting back too much and weren't as detailed," Head Coach Barry Trotz said. "On the winning goal we had a lot of 'almost there.' Not that full commitment that you need."

STANDINGS WATCH:

With the overtime loss, the first-place Islanders (77 points) maintained a two-point lead over the Washington Capitals (75 points) in the Metropolitan Division. The Isles are six points up on the Pittsburgh Penguins (71 points) and seven on the Carolina Hurricanes (70).

NEXT GAME:

The Islanders finish their three-game Western Canada road trip on Saturday night in Vancouver. Puck drop is at 10 p.m. et.