CHICAGO — This appears to be rock bottom for the Islanders.
The team's trip from hell ended Friday night with a 4-3 overtime loss to the Blackhawks at the United Center after Seth Jones' game. The Blackhawks were a team that looked a lot like an outcast group in the AHL, with many in the lineup injured. Winner 21 seconds into the overtime session.
The loss snapped the Islanders' losing streak to four, and their worst record since December 31st with 2 wins, 6 losses, and 2 draws. The Devils' defeat of the Blue Jackets also dropped the Islanders to sixth place in the Metropolitan Division.
And that raises the heat under coach Lane Lambert's seat to boiling point.
“We keep saying this is unacceptable, that is unacceptable. Just show up on time and play the full 60 minutes like we did in the third game and win the game,” Matt Martin said. he told the Post. “That's enough.
“That’s all of us. [Including] myself. Mental mistakes and attention to detail aren't always there. And it's taking its toll on us. ”
The Islanders looked lethargic and tired against a Blackhawks team that played Thursday night after two days of rest in the Windy City.
They struggled to break the puck out of the zone and won too few puck battles.
In Nashville and Winnipeg, the Islanders at least played decent games, but you could argue they lost due to some weird goals.
But like the 5-0 loss at Minnesota, this was a complete failure, and everyone on the bench and everyone on the bench was indicted.
“I don't think we're anywhere near where the team could or should be,” Lambert said. “There are clearly players on the team that need more.”
During a seven-game losing streak in November, management backed Lambert and the noise surrounding his status died down.
But now, just a few months later, things are starting to get back on track, and whether it's through changes behind the bench or not, the Islanders look like a team that needs to get back on track as soon as possible.
Despite not playing particularly well, the Islanders appeared to be in control of the game, holding a 1-0 lead until at least late in the second period.
That's when the walls started to crumble.
After Ilya Sorokin hit Boris Kachuk with a stone on a breakaway, the Islanders tied the game at 18:07 in the second when Kachuk collected his own rebound, circled the zone, and nailed a wrist shot. I allowed them to catch up with the score.
Just 1:07 later, Joey Anderson made a 2-on-1 breakaway against Colin Blackwell, sending the Islanders stunned into the break room locker room.
The final 20 minutes required a renewed effort and comeback than ever before, but the Islanders did enough to tie the game. But it's not enough to win.
Jason Dickinson converted a feed from Anderson at the crease to extend the Blackhawks' lead to 3-1, before Bo Horvat netted Matthew Barzal's cross-ice feed to quickly get it back to 3-2.
Then, at 12:50, Kyle Palmieri's wraparound tied the score at 3.
However, their inability to close out the game cost them as extra time went into extra time, with Jones scoring his first goal of the season with a shot from high.
It's better than no points, but the Islanders didn't make the slightest effort to turn this into a positive.
“If we don't get back on our feet quickly, we're going to keep falling down the rankings,” Horvat said. “It starts with me. It starts with the top players being better.”
With the exception of the third period, the tension and energy wasn't at the level it needed to be.
The team, which until recently seemed destined for the playoffs in second place, looked like an empty shell, but they got the results to prove it.
“We all need to look in the mirror as individuals and do better,” Martin said. “We're all guilty of that. Start looking at yourself first and go from there.”
The Metropolitan Division and Wild Card race remain close, and the Islanders can't escape.
But it only matters if they can start collecting points.
And now the team is playing its worst hockey of the season with low confidence and issues on both ends of the ice. Lambert called his team's play “careless” and said there was “a lack of respect for the way the game is played.” You'll be played. ”
Something has to change. soon.
