DETROIT — Islanders Fight in Horvat’s Absence

The Islanders displayed a no-bend, no-break approach during the two games they played without Bo Horvat.

They finally got a breakthrough in the third period on Tuesday, though they almost let go of a one-point lead that they held for most of the game, ultimately losing 3-2 to the Red Wings following a late power-play winner from Alex DeBrincat.

Honestly, their performance wasn’t pretty. Offensively, they struggled and leaned heavily on goalie Ilya Sorokin, which felt a bit risky. The neutral zone, a strength earlier in the season, seemed a bit off. The forechecking? Non-existent.

We’re starting to see a domino effect in the lineup as the Islanders adjust to a situation that ideally won’t last long.

But to be fair, they did manage to hold their ground with a cautious yet desperate defense, despite not being at their best.

For a lot of the game, the Red Wings had a tough time breaking into the middle zone, with the Islanders blocking almost every shot they attempted.

Having Sorokin in goal helped a lot. He was nearly impenetrable, repelling every attempt from John Leonard and DeBrincat, among others.

Entering the final period, the Islanders led 1-0, courtesy of Emil Heineman’s goal just 4:27 into the match.

However, this wasn’t the night Sorokin set a new shutout record. Axel Sandin-Pelica managed to get one past Sorokin just 2:03 into the third period, leveling the game at 1-1.

A few minutes later, the Red Wings snatched a 2-1 lead when DeBrincat scored with a power-play shot from the left side.

Things became a bit heated among the Islanders. In the third period at 11:26, Scott Mayfield found the net, leveling the score at 2-2.

But, ironically, it was Mayfield who ended up tripping Dylan Larkin during a crucial moment that led to a power play for the Red Wings at 16:50.

During that power play, DeBrincat struck again from the left circle, giving the Red Wings a 3-2 lead that they managed to maintain.

A surprising update on Matt Barzal’s status turned out to be unnecessary concern. He warmed up and played, forcing Max Tsyplakov back into the press box, while Barzal’s line with Heineman and Jonathan Drouin became the Islanders’ most effective forward group of the night.

The line consisting of Cal Ritchie, Anthony Duclair, and Max Shabanov went through some of the longest defensive zone shifts of the game and struggled to get anything going.

The bottom six had a rough night too, and the defense found it hard to make clean first passes.

Of course, the undeniable reality is that the Islanders are in survival mode right now without Horvat (and also without Kyle Palmieri and Alexander Romanoff).

These are tough losses for any team to handle.

Still, the Islanders need to discover a more sustainable way to navigate this challenging time. If they were fully healthy, they might’ve been able to take advantage of upcoming games to improve their standings in the league.

But whatever the circumstances, it’s clear that tough games lie ahead.