Winner Point

Isles win marathon shootout with MTL; Duclair injury concern

After the five games, the Islanders are trying to find their groove. Sorokin is back, the defense is settling in, but we're still seeing mixed results. Sean & Stefen are joined by Islanders radio voice Chris King to assess what's transpired so far and if we're seeing signs of momentum for the Isles!

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Good Morning, Islanders Country.

Sixteen (16) times last season, the Islanders skated off the ice with both a point and a loss. They led the league in “loser points,” the unendearing term for the one point ‘earned’ by losing overtime or the shootout. Some looked at the Islanders as the benefactors of a forgiving NHL point system while feeling that 3-on-3 and a shootout competition aren’t representative of how good a team is playing.

Nevertheless, earning the second point is paramount to regular-season success. It can be the difference between making or missing the playoffs, securing a playoff spot and home ice, or fighting for your postseason lives.

After two loser points in their first four games, the Islanders fell on the right side on Saturday night, outlasting the Montreal Canadiens in a thrilling, nine-round shootout where Noah Dobson’s first SO goal was the difference.

The win changes your attitude toward the team’s early season heading into tomorrow’s game against the Detroit Red Wings. Instead of the narrative that the Isles had lost four of their first five, the Islanders have earned points in four of their first five and are playing solid hockey to start the season. That’s how much the “winner point” means to the narrative and the psyche of the fans and players themselves. Saturday night could have been about another late third-period lead at home. That storyline gets put aside as they attempt to lock things down late.