Takeaways: Islanders Rally for Point in 4-3 OT Loss to Oilers

The New York Islanders didn’t strike oil on Tuesday night, but they did pick up an important point in a 4-3 OT loss to the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place.

Leon Draisaitl’s second goal of the night won it at 1:52 of the extra frame, but the Islanders showed some fight to force OT late, climbing out of a 3-1 hole with seven minutes to play in the third period. Anders Lee scored both goals in the late comeback bid, while Kyle Palmieri rounded out the scoring for the Islanders.

Connor McDavid (1G, 3A) led the Oilers with four points, while Draisaitl (2G) and Evan Bouchard also scored for the Oilers. Ilya Sorokin stopped 38-of-42 shots in the loss, with Stuart Skinner stopped 19-of-22 in the win.

Despite the OT loss, the Islanders extended their point streak to four games (2-0-2).

ISLES BATTLE BACK FOR A POINT

In Patrick Roy’s mind there are two ways to look at a point in an OT loss.

“There are nights you're going home and you're pissed off,” Roy said. “There are nights you’re going home and you say, ‘okay we stole the point.’ And tonight that was the case.”

Tuesday was certainly the latter for the Islanders, who battled out of a 3-1 deficit with under seven minutes to play in the third period to get an important point in a place they’d only won once since 2007.

“That's a big point when you're down 3-1 with a few minutes left, and on the road here against a very good hockey team,” Lee said. “Unfortunate we didn't get the second one, but for us to keep it within reach and find a way to get it to OT, it's a good point.”

Lee led the charge for the Islanders in the third period. The Islanders’ captain converted a rebound after Ryan Pulock dangled Jeff Skinner and then put a low shot off Stuart Skinner’s far pad to make it 3-2 at 12:54. With the Islanders net empty, Lee’s hot stick tied the score as Palmieri fed JG Pageau down low for a quick touch-pass to the captain at the top of the crease with 2:40 to play.

“Getting down a couple goals midway through the third to be able to come back and find a way to get a point, I think, is really big for this team,” Pulock said.

The three-on-three session favored the high-flying Oilers, who wore down a visibly exhausted Ryan Pulock, Bo Horvat and Simon Holmstrom, culminating in a short side goal from the red-hot Draisaitl.

“At the end, I think we were just gassed,” Roy said. “I'm extremely proud of our guys, extremely proud. It was a good effort by our guys.”

ODDS AND ENDS:

- While the Isles showed some resolve, they recognized that they didn’t have enough puck possession and ceded too many changes to the Oilers on Tuesday.

The final shot tally was 42-22 in favor of Edmonton, with the Oilers holding a 15-2 advantage in high-danger chances at five-on-five. McDavid and Draisaitl were both dangerous throughout the game, and had it not been for a bevy of highlight reel saves by Sorokin, the game could have been out of reach early. The Islanders were a little loose with the puck at times, racking up 19 giveaways, including nine in the first period.

“There are going to be nights where you give up a little more than others, and tonight was one of those nights,” Pulock said. but I felt like we were able to stick with it, and that's what was important tonight.”

- Kyle Palmieri tied the score at 15:58 of the second period, one-timing a cross-ice feed from Max Tsyplakov after an Oilers turnover in the neutral zone. With the goal, Palmieri retook the team lead in goals (7) and after a secondary assist also leads the team in points (14).

For Tsyplakov, the assist was his eighth of the season and 10^th point. The pass was a nice heads up play by the Russian, who had a clear lane to the net and had Evan Bouchard and Stuart Skinner locked into the net front drive. Credit to Palmieri as well for nailing the one-timer from the top of the circle.

- The Islanders allowed goals in the opening minute of the second and third period, including a power-play goal to open the scoring. Edmonton entered the game with the 24^th-ranked power play, but superstars McDavid and Draisaitl connected on a one-timer 36 seconds into the second period to open the scoring. The Isles power play went 0-for-2.

LINEUP NOTES:

There were no changes to the Islanders lineup or lines.

NOTABLE QUOTE:

Ryan Pulock on Sorokin's 38-save performance:

"Honestly, it's been all year it's been spectacular. Tonight he held this in there, and he give us a chance to get to overtime."

NEXT GAME:

The Islanders head to beautiful British Columbia for a Thursday night date against the Vancouver Canucks. Puck drop is at 10 p.m. eastern.