WINNIPEG, Manitoba — All but two points were missing for the Islanders on Tuesday after their worst game of the year.
No, it doesn't mean much if the Isles put together a better, more competitive effort against the Jets than they did the night before in Minnesota.
The 4-2 loss to Winnipeg was the Islanders' third in a row and fifth in six games, but it's more than a glimmer of hope for a team that hasn't found a way to halt a slow slide in the standings. .
With two days left until they end this road trip with a must-win game against the basement-dwelling Blackhawks, the Isles need to embark on some soul searching.
Because no amount of self-examination after being embarrassed by Wilde was enough to stop the bleeding.
The lack of competitiveness that reared its head on Monday is at least gone, and in another context, the Isles were able to shake off this game as a decent road performance in back-to-back races where they weren't. Maybe. Get a bounce.
But I don't have time for that now.
Going 200 feet with the puck became a tough task for the Islanders, who split Bo Horvat and Matt Barzal again and were without Pierre Engvall (listed daily with an upper-body injury).
It was no surprise that the Isles remained too sloppy in their own zone, their passing wasn't sharp enough, and as a result they struggled to get on the cycle and maintain meaningful puck possession.
And, of course, they continued to take terrible penalties.
More than anything, that's what made this game fall apart. After Ilya Sorokin dropped his skate blade and was unable to move from side to side, essentially allowing the former Ranger to score, Neel Pionk made it 1-1 with a power-play goal at 15:19 for his second goal. broke the tie. open net.
Just 2:39 after the Islanders committed their third penalty of the second period, Adam Pelech was unable to get the puck to the left post, allowing Mason Appleton to stuff it to the short side. .
The Islanders made a comeback just 35 seconds into the third period when Anders Lee scored a goal, cutting the lead to 3-2.
But the Jets did the same thing to the Islanders that the Islanders have done to many other teams before.
They stalemate the game, refusing to allow sustained time in the offensive zone and sucking the life out of their momentum down the stretch.
Then, with 4:20 left, Noah Dobson tripped Nino Niederreiter and an improbable penalty made it even less than two minutes later.
The Jets were unable to score on the power play, but Kyle Connor's goal into an empty net with 1:22 left sealed the game.
Winnipeg took the lead at the 9:41 mark of the first inning when Gabe Vilardi took the lead off a rebound from Josh Morrissey, and the defenseman's point shot touched Adam Lowry midway through.
Lee fired back for the Isles, tipping in a Mike Riley shot shortly after the end of the first power play of the game.
That momentum didn't last long.
It was clear going into January that the Islanders would be given a big test in eight of the 10 games starting Dec. 31.
There is no way around this. They have failed that test so far, going 2-6-1 since losing to Pittsburgh on New Year's Eve.
The schedule will be relaxed after Friday, at least in terms of playing at home.
If this doesn't give the Isles the boost they need, the season will fly by.
