Everyone who writes about the Islanders is weary of repeating the same storyline, akin to a boring fifth installment in a film series. Nevertheless, the Islanders played reasonably well for 50 minutes on Wednesday night, managing to keep the game tied at that point before everything fell apart. The final score was 6-3, which overshadowed some impressive goals from Brock Nelson, especially his equalizer just 8 seconds before the second intermission. The Bruins’ goal that gave them the lead in the third period was definitely avoidable, and the insurance goal came from a fortunate play that compounded their misfortune. Ultimately, it ended with yet another regulation loss, this time after leading in the game.
The issues facing the team aren’t solely psychological, a matter of talent or injuries, or simply bad luck. It’s just the current state of affairs, which is frustrating, leaving the Islanders with one of the lowest points percentages in the conference.
**First Period**
The Islanders’ “at least we’re winning faceoffs!” didn’t help them in the opening period. Within the first minute, Casey Cizikas lost a crucial faceoff to Elias Lindholm, allowing Brad Marchand to score. Just five minutes later, Marchand struck again after a series of mistakes by the Islanders. Despite their errors, the team managed to fight back when Max Tsyplakov scored, getting the Isles on the board with his third goal of the season.
**Second Period**
The Islanders tied the game at 8:52 with Brock Nelson’s ninth goal. However, the Bruins quickly regained the lead when Morgan Geekie scored from an open net following a sustained offensive push. Nelson eventually found the net again, delivering a powerful shot that tied the game at 3-3 as the second period ended, thanks to excellent teamwork.
**Third Period**
In the third period, the Islanders initially maintained pressure, seeming determined to win rather than succumb to a collapse. However, the Bruins reclaimed the lead at 10:48 due to a deflection from Zacha amid confusion in front of the net. Less than three minutes later, Zacha scored again after a fortunate bounce. With the score at 5-3, the atmosphere was grim.
Patrick Roy pulled Sorokin in favor of an extra attacker with over four minutes to go, but the ensuing power play was ineffective. The Bruins then sealed the game with an empty-net goal, concluding the match at 6-3. It was a tough loss to swallow.
