LOS ANGELES — If the Islanders found cause for frustration after Sunday’s big win, they’ll have plenty more to work on after Monday night.
The cracks in the game that were evident in some of the wins over San Jose and Anaheim turned into cracks against the Kings, who won 3-0 and ended the Islanders’ winning streak at six on their way back to the East. coast.
“I think it’s a great opportunity to reset,” captain Anders Lee said. “We didn’t play our best tonight, but there’s a reason we don’t win hockey games.”
California’s swing saw them win two of three games and put the Isles tied with Detroit for second place in the wild-card spot on points, although the Red Wings narrowly upset them thanks to Monday’s regulation win tiebreaker. It can be counted as a success.
But despite pulling back from the fray, the Islanders still had no time to let their guard down, and there was plenty to dislike here in downtown Los Angeles.
Their breakout was lacking and their forecheck never really clicked. This caused him to spend a lot of time in the defensive zone.
When the Islanders entered the offensive zone, their net presence left them behind and Kings netminder David Rittich worked unhindered, ultimately earning a 26-save shutout. . Too often, carrying a pack can be too cute. This trend is noticeable in several games.
Oh, and the power play was atrocious 5-on-5. Matt Barzal slashed Drew Doty after a Kings defender fell on the puck, negating a 5-on-3 chance in the first period.
“I think Barzee knows he shouldn’t have gone for that puck,” coach Patrick Roy said.
Minutes earlier, Roy had found the game nearly even at 5-on-5, and the Islanders had squarely sealed the loss with 7 minutes and 39 seconds left without a score at 5-on-4.
“Obviously, we all saw it. If our power play went well, it would have made a difference,” Roy said. “We need more traffic. The puck isn’t moving the way we want it to on the power play. We need to do something different and put more traffic in front of the net.”
It was a tense defensive game that looked like it would give the Islanders enough breathing room to escape Los Angeles with at least one point despite their problems.
Adrian Kempe’s goal 7:14 into the second period was the only point in the first 40 minutes of the game, and the Reds entered the third period trailing by just one point.
But despite a promising first few minutes of the first half, the Kings extended their lead at 6:07 of the third when Phillip Danault tapped a Trevor Moore feed into the left post crease.
The door appeared to creak open when the Islanders had two power-play chances midway through the third, but both were in vain, with Trevor Moore scoring an empty-netter with 2:22 left. The goal decided the match.
“I thought we had some zone time, but they made some good kills,” Ryan Purock told the Post. “They’re holding it tight, so I thought we had to find a way to loosen it up a little bit, maybe by taking a few more shots. We knew coming in here it was going to be a close game. Most of them. I think it was a pretty tight 5-on-5.”
The Islanders’ struggles in the second end of back-to-back games remain a notable issue, as they are 0-for-7 in such games.
There are only two games left this season, but they could be crucial in a close playoff game.
“Sometimes your legs may not be working as well as they should, but you have to persevere and find a way,” Purock said. “Let’s just simplify things a little bit. When your feet aren’t there, whether it’s just getting the puck deep or just getting on the forecheck and trying to muck it that way, try different methods that are effective. I have to find it.”
Of course, no one is ringing alarm bells after going 6-0-1.
The Islanders are still going strong after an impressive run up the standings over the past two weeks.
But the Islanders, who narrowly built their latest winning streak, have no runway left for another loss.
They can’t wait another two months to start their next move.
