Islanders Locker Room: Disappointment After Blown Lead, ‘This One Hurts’

NEW YORK, NY– The New York Islanders had gone 11-0-0 when leading after two periods this season. But that streak came to a close on Thursday night as the Islanders blew a 3-2 lead in the third period before ultimately losing 5-3 at Madison Square Garden.

Here’s the New York Islanders player reactions following the disheartening loss to their cross-town rivals.

New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal had a goal and an assist in the contest, but that did not matter much following the loss, as one could tell how frustrated he was with the result.

Ande he let that frustration be known.

“Obviously, up 3-2 on the road is a good spot to be [in], so don’t really know what to say. [It] obviously sucks,” Barzal said. We generated a little bit tonight not a whole lot, you know? But you know, they’re good defensively.”

Barzal was on the ice for the New York Rangers’ go-ahead goal late in the third period, which was put in by Kaapo Kakko, who was left wide-open after a Sebastian Aho failed coverage.

Barzal could not corral a puck along the boards, which ultimately led to the goal.

MILLER TO KAKKO.

A THING OF BEAUTY. pic.twitter.com/AA9Td7I7Oq

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) December 23, 2022

“The puck rimmed around. I tried to get a stick on it and it just kind of jumped. I don’t know what happened. I feel like they’re trying to swat it toward the net…just a lucky bounce.”

Matt Martin spoke on not just the amount of penalties but how much that impacted the inability to generate offense.

They had back-to-back power plays in the third. I think those are situations that they started to obviously get shots and then on the tail end of them when another line comes out, and you get tired penalty killers out there, they tend to get zone time as well,” Martin said. “So a little bit on us and a little bit of what they’re doing as well.”

Jean-Gabriel Pageau thought the Islanders should have come away with the win, but that inability to stay out of the box really hurt them.

“This one hurts. I thought we were right there,” Pageau said. “Obviously, we want to shoot more as part of our game plan. We’re playing against a good goalie. You want to put a lot of traffic on net […] Obviously, I think we want more shots to make it easier on ourselves and give ourselves more of a chance.”

Head coach Lane Lambert reiterated the discipline issue.

“Well, too many penalties. Got to stay out of the box against a team like that, that has a good power play. So we put ourselves in a hole that way. Had to tax some people, and we just didn’t get it done”