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Good Morning, Islanders Country.
Sorokin lost a blade, the Isles lost a game, and fans are losing hope.
When a team is struggling, they don’t get the breaks, and that problem is compounded when they aren’t playing well enough to make the breaks.
Ilya Sorokin suffered a bad break (literally) when he lost his skate blade and then helplessly failed to slide over to stop a shot into a yawning net that gave the Jets a 2-1 lead. The next goal wasn’t bad luck; it was just a bad goal when Mason Appleton banked a shot off his pad late in the second period.
Anders Lee’s second goal of the game 35 seconds into the third gave the Isles a whole period to find the equalizer, but they couldn’t break through against a Winnipeg team that has allowed two goals or fewer in 13 consecutive games.
Lane Lambert said before the game that the Islanders needed to play each game like it was their last. You knew they would have a better effort after an embarassing performance in Minnesota, that was a given. They had an opportunity to redeem themselves against one of the league’s best teams, and although they competed hard and battled, they ultimately fell short.
Lee, who was their best forward, said it was a step in the right direction, but the longer they slump, the harder it is to accept that as any consolation. The Islanders are now behind last season’s point pace as another bad January has the potential to completely upend their playoff hopes. GM Lou Lamoriello may or may not be in considering a change, but the longer he waits, the less it may matter.
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