Takeaways: Islanders Fall to Flames 2-1 in Shootout

The New York Islanders picked up a point, but left one on the table, in a 2-1 shootout loss to the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night at Scotiabank Saddledome.

Pierre Engvall opened the scoring in the second period, while Rasmus Andersson’s power-play goal tied the score 8:17 into the third.

That set the stage for a shootout, where Andrei Kuzmenko scored the game-deciding goal while Justin Kirkland netted the insurance marker.

Semyon Varlamov stopped 30-of-31 in the shootout loss, while Dustin Wolf stopped 28-of-29 in the win.

The shootout loss dropped the Islanders to 1-1-2 on their four-game road trip.

“It was hard-fought game. I thought both teams played very well,” Head Coach Patrick Roy said. “I look at it like it's a point, and I wish we had more than one point.”

It was a frustrating, but familiar result for the Islanders, who felt they played well enough to win on Tuesday, holding the Flames without a goal at five-on-five. While they could be happy with the defensive side of their game, one goal did not leave any margin for error and they could not build on their lead to pull away from an offensively-challenged Flames team.

“There wasn't a whole lot out there, both ways,” Noah Dobson said. “In the third period we had lots of great looks, just didn't capitalize. We’ve got to find a way to get that second one and extend the lead when we have those one goal leads.”

They had their looks, with four high-danger chances at five-on-five in the third period. Their best chance came in overtime, where Dobson cranked a puck off the crossbar during a late-game power play.

That was as close as the Isles came, and with the shootout defeat, the Isles dropped their first game when leading after two periods, falling to 5-0-1.

“I don't think the group is worrying about blowing a lead or thinking about that,” Dobson said. “It's a one goal game, in third period they scored on the power play. We had our looks, and we didn't capitalize.”

ENGVALL SCORES AGAIN:

Pierre Engvall scored for a third straight game on Tuesday night, matching a career-long.

It was a slick shot, as Engvall dragged the puck around a falling Daniil Miromanov before snapping the puck high glove on Dustin Wolf at 1:32 of the second period. It was a confident play by a player who seems to be picking up stream. Engvall last scored in three straight from March 11-15, 2023.

VARLAMOV SOLID IN SHOOTOUT LOSS:

Semyon Varlamov was solid again for the Islanders, allowing two goals or fewer for the fourth straight game.

Varlamov came up with a big save on MacKenzie Weegar one-on-one in the second period and had to be great during a Flames flurry in the third period. His best save of the night came in OT, getting across his net to deny Greenlawn, NY native Matt Coronato on a two-on-one with Mikael Backlund.

The lone blemish on Varlamov’s night was sliding too far in the direction of Nazem Kadri on the Flames power play, pulling him out of position of Andersson’s tying goal.

Give credit to Wolf as well, as the young Calgary netminder acquitted himself well in the eyes of the Isles veteran.

“He's young, quick and played a very good game,” Varlamov said. “He made a great saves in the key moments.”

ODDS AND ENDS:

The Islanders dominated at the face-off dot on Tuesday night. The Isles won 63% of their draws, going 42-of-67 on the night. Brock Nelson was especially good, going 14-7.

Kyle Palmieri’s four-game point streak came to an end.

Dobson played a team-high 24:56.

Ryan Pulock had a team-high four shots on goal.

The Islanders penalty kill went 0-for-1. The Flames power play snapped a four-game drought, as they'd previously gone 0-for-11 over that span - and had gone 2-for-35 in the 13 games prior to Tuesday.

LINEUP NOTES:

Alexander Romanov returned to the lineup after missing seven games with an upper-body injury. Romanov had a game-high eight hits – one shy of matching his career-high – and three blocked shots in 21:04 TOI. Grant Hutton came out of the lineup to accommodate Romanov’s return.

“He looked great,” Dobson said. “It's not easy being out for extended period of time, coming back. I thought he looked good and made good plays, so it's nice to nice to have him back.”

NOTABLE QUOTE:

Patrick Roy on his team’s performance:

I thought that we played a great game again and we could have won that game. Both teams played well. I cannot say we outplay them, or they outplay us. Both teams play well and they won in shootout.

NEXT GAME:

The Islanders wrap up their five-game road trip on Thursday night when they visit the Detroit Red Wings. Puck drop is at 7 p.m.