Takeaways: Islanders Fall 5-3 to Blackhawks

The New York Islanders got reinforcements on Sunday afternoon, but it didn’t translate into points, as the Isles fell 5-3 to the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center.

Connor Bedard broke a 3-3 tie with 54 seconds to play, while Connor Murphy added an empty-netter to seal it for Chicago, sending the Islanders away empty-handed. That left a bitter taste as the Isles outshot the Blackhawks 33-22 in the game, including 27-13 in the second and third periods combined.

“It feels like another one of those games, even when I was watching, when we lost, it seemed like we probably deserved better,” said, Mathew Barzal who played his first game since Oct. 30. “So we just have find a way to get these games.”

Ryan Pulock, Simon Holmstrom and Noah Dobson scored for the Isles. Ilya Mikheyev, Taylor Hall, Teuvo Teravainen (1G, 2A), Bedard (1G, 1A) and Murphy scored for the Blackhawks.

Ilya Sorokin stopped 18-of-22 in the loss, while Arvid Soderblom stopped 30-of-33 in the win.

The loss snapped the Islanders' seven-game point streak against the Blackhawks.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Mikheyev opened the scoring for the Blackhawks at 9:08, capping off some Chicago pressure by getting behind Dennis Cholowski in tight and depositing a Teravainen pass to make it 1-0.

Pulock tied the score at 18:43, blasting a 101.3 mph slap shot from the point moments after Pierre Engvall was stopped on a breakaway. The tie game lasted less than a minute, as Hall one-timed a Teravainen feed past Sorokin at 19:40.

The Isles found their footing in the second period, outshooting the Blackhawks 14-6. Holmstrom tied the score at 2:25 as Engvall’s centering feed hit the Swedish winger’s skate and deflected past Soderblom.

Chicago took a 3-2 on Teravainen’s power-play goal at 15:19, as the forward one-timed a shot through Sorokin on a two-man advantage. That capped a topsy-turvy two minutes for the Islanders, who started on a power play, but had it negated by a debatable tripping call on Max Tsyplakov, setting off a sequence that saw an Alex Romanov delay of game call and eventually the go-ahead goal. Roy said the trip looked accidental from his vantage point, but called the Romanov mistake a costly one.

Dobson tied the score 47 seconds into the third period, pinching off the blue line and sliding the puck underneath Soderblom. The Blackhawks unsuccessfully challenge the goal, which marked Dobson’s second in as many games against Chicago.

After the Islanders came up empty on a late power play, Bedard broke the deadlock in the final minute, as Chicago won an offensive zone draw after an Isles icing, with Ryan Donato eventually collecting the puck behind the net and feeding Bedard for the game-winner.

“It’s disappointing and frustrating, we have to manage those moments in games a lot better,” Dobson said. “We give up one late in the first period, same thing in the third in a tie game. We just have to find a way to dig deeper there, but definitely disappointing not to walk away with two points.”

BARZAL AND PELECH RETURN

Mathew Barzal and Adam Pelech returned to the lineup after missing 21 and 20 games, respectively. Barzal skated with Anders Lee and JG Pageau upon returning, while Pelech was reunited with Ryan Pulock.

Barzal skated 20:45 with two shots on goal, five total attempts, two hits and won four-of-five draws. Pelech skated 19:47 with one shot, a team-high tying four hits, two blocked shots and a takeaway.

As expected, Barzal’s timing was a little off early, with a few passes back to the point inadvertently clearing the zone. As the game wore on, Barzal looked like his usual self, skating through a series of Blackhawks during a second period rush.

“It was definitely an adjustment early on,” Barzal said. “But once I got the game, I felt a little better.”

Barzy and Pelech both out on the same four on four shift in the second period and Barzal was back on the power play. Pelech played a team-high 1:51 shorthanded and while he was on the ice for the five-on-three goal against, finished the game +1.

SPECIAL TEAMS

The Islanders power play went 0-for-4 on Sunday afternoon, generating seven shots. While the Blackhawks are at the bottom of the NHL standings, their home penalty kill entered the game second in the league – and Sunday extended Chicago’s streak to nine straight games without allowing a power-play goal.

Give the Blackhawks credit, they made it hard for the Isles to get to the interior of the ice, and came up big on a penalty kill with 3:20 to go in a 3-3 game. The Islanders had looks, including a deflection from Kyle Palmieri on the late power play, but couldn’t break through.

“They did a good job just kind of letting us pass it around the outside,” Dobson said. “We got to find a way to get to the interior, get to the inside. [We had a] couple looks, tips in front. I think that last one back door to Palmieri just missed, but we have to find a way to get into interior.”

Special teams ultimately proved to be the difference, as Chicago went 1-for-2 on the man advantage.

ODDS AND ENDS

Scott Mayfield skated in his 500^th NHL game – all with the Islanders.

Noah Dobson’s eight shots tied a career-high.

JG Pageau won nine-of-10 draws.

LINEUP NOTES

Mathew Barzal and Adam Pelech returned to the lineup after missing 21 and 20 games, respectively. Barzal skated with Anders Lee and JG Pageau upon returning, while Pelech was reunited with Ryan Pulock.

Bo Horvat missed Sunday’s game and is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Isaiah George was a healthy scratch to accommodate Pelech’s return.

NOTABLE QUOTE

Anders Lee on having Mathew Barzal back in the lineup and on his line:

We moved the puck really well and supported each other really well. I thought our line had some good puck movement and support. We just needed one more puck tonight. It was one of those nights, you just need one more, and we didn't get it.

NEXT GAME

The Islanders’ road trip continues on Tuesday as they visit the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh.