Bitter Cold Defeat

Everything was going so well, until it wasn't

Good Morning, Islanders Country.

In a season of absurdly bad losses, the Islanders continue to one-up themselves in the most embarrassing and disheartening ways possible. Whether it’s indoors or outdoors, this team plays undisciplined, plain dumb hockey when it matters most.

There’s always the feeling of impending doom when playing the New York Rangers. Your heart beating a little faster than it does against other opponents. But even with that pre-existing condition, it appeared destined to be the Islanders’ day in the sun.

Brock Nelson scored again outdoors, yet again. That was followed by Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal scoring the fastest two outdoor goals by one team in history. Then, during intermission, Denis Potvin and Bryan Trottier announced that UBS Arena would host the 2026 All-Star Game. What a day, right?

There was positive energy in the brisk New Jersey air. The Islanders were taking it to the Rangers and would surely use this big win to catapult them toward a winning streak and into the playoffs. And then, that’s when the demons that have haunted the 2023-24 Islanders decided to show up.

The Islanders were their own worst enemy twice in the final minutes of the third period, taking bad penalties and putting their league-worst penalty kill in a position to have to win the game for them. We all know how that ends.

After two power-play goals tied the game, Noah Dobson turned the puck over to Artemi Panarin, whose shot deflected off a desperately sliding Dobson, then the back of Ilya Sorokin and across the line as the net came off its mooring. At 10 seconds, it was the fastest O.T. goal ever allowed by the Islanders.

Patrick Roy liked a lot of his team’s game, going as far as saying he viewed the devastating loss as a positive. He’s taking the long view as a new coach. The problem is the lack of inconsistency that started long before Roy got to Long Island has remained with no signs of improving despite how much they practice and watch the film.

Things they do well one night, they do poorly the next, and things haven’t done well all season, like killing penalties and winning in overtime or the shootout they have no remedy for, leaving them bitter taste in the bitter cold last night.