Good Morning, Islanders Country.
If you talked yourself into feeling somewhat good after the Islanders managed a point against the New Jersey Devils on Friday night despite allowing four power-play goals, much of that eroded with a flat performance in Buffalo on Saturday night that resulted in the team’s first regulation loss of the season.
This was one of those games where you start questioning why you didn’t make other plans for Saturday night. You stick with the game because it’s scoreless more than halfway through, even though your eyes tell you that it shouldn’t be.
Buffalo scored twice toward the end of the second period and would start the power-play in the third. If you chose to switch the channel at intermission, not expecting the team to give you a reason to return, you would be correct. It was one of the games where you check your phone to see if it gets to be 2-1, but if turns to 3-0, you continue doing what you’re doing.
“Through the neutral zone, our puck management has to be better,” head coach Lane Lambert said after the 3-1 loss. “That's two nights in a row now where we're trying; the intentions are good, but unintended consequences come along with that.”
The Islanders have five of a possible eight points through the first four games, that’s fine, but they’ll need to prevent the “unintended consequences” of their recent mistakes from becoming a trend to get back on track quickly.
Coming up, a return and an Isles debut and Brock Nelson knows how to finish with the best in the league. Plus, a big weekend for an Isles prospect; Bryan Trottier is the first to reach 200 goals in franchise history, and a Butch birthday stat that bolsters his HOF candidacy.
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