Shipwrecked: Islanders Collapse AGAIN; Devils Win 4-3 in OT

ELMONT, NY — The New Jersey Devils (10-5-2) defeated the New York Islanders (6-6-3) 4-3 overtime on Saturday night in UBS Arena. Jack Hughes scored twice, including the overtime winner, to sink the Islanders, who struck twice in the third period to lead 3-1.

Remarkably and yet so strikingly familiar, the Islanders blew it. It’s not even the first time they’ve blown a late lead against the Devils during the season; only this time did they lose. Last time, Bo Horvat bailed them out in overtime.

The Islanders remain without a regulation win at home and now are just 2-3-3 on home ice this season.

Ilya Sorokin denied 29/33 shots, while Jacob Markstrom stopped just 19/22 in the Devils’ win.

Quick Recap:

Simon Holmstrom opened the game’s scoring with a smooth move to put the Islanders up 1-0 in the first period. Hughes scored on a second-period power play for the Devils, continuing another theme of poor special teams. Hughes’ shot beat a heavily screened Ilya Sorokin, and the 1-1 tie lasted until the third period. Through two periods, the Devils outshot the Islanders 20-11.

The Islanders turned that around and played their best period of the game until it wasn’t.

With under 10 minutes to play, Dennis Cholowski rifled home a goal off a great feed from Holmstrom. Holmstrom won a race and battle for the puck, curled, and sent a perfect seam pass to Cholowski, who made no mistake.

1:56 later, Brock Nelson scored his sixth of the season off a pretty passing play between Kyle Palmieri and Maxim Tsyplakov, the former of which sprung Nelson for his chance.

The Collapse:

The Islanders kept pushing and largely dictated play. Then, the Devils got one chance. Paul Cotter used speed and curled at the trapezoid line to Sorokin’s left. The subtle curl fooled rookie Isaiah George and back checker Kyle MacLean. Off the curl, Cotter sent the puck to the middle, where Dawson Mercer outmuscled Noah Dobson and roofed it into the top corner.

Mercer’s goal came with 4:27 left on the clock. With 467 seconds left, all the Islanders had to do was hold a lead.

Instead, with the Devils’ net empty, the Islanders sat back and played in a starfish-type configuration, simply allowing the Devils to move the puck unchallenged along the outside. Eventually, Stefan Noesen stepped out and threw a puck to the front, which bounced off Grant Hutton’s skate, through Sorokin’s legs, and in.

Tie game with 50 seconds left. The Devils, save for their surprisingly large contingent of fans, sucked the air right out of the building.

In overtime, both teams traded chances before Hughes found himself all alone behind the defense. He easily beat Sorokin to clinch the Devils’ win.

Locker Room Reacts:

Postgame, the Islanders expressed pretty clear frustration. Hutton spoke to NYI Hockey Now about the tying goal and the uneven play throughout the game:

“I felt like it was a pretty slow start for us. Our transition wasn’t great. We weren’t getting pucks behind them, and when we were, we couldn’t establish a forecheck. They just weren’t under pressure, so we made some adjustments, and I felt like it got a lot better as the game went on.”

Hutton continued:  “On the goal, I feel like I was in a good position. It’s just a terrible bounce that ended up in the back right now. That’s just a tough result. Just really tough.”

Palmieri didn’t think the Islanders’ approach changed at all: “The s***ty bounce happened. I’d have to watch it again, but I don’t think much changed. We had a couple of shifts after we scored the third one that had some chances, but yeah, I don’t think much changed.

“We knew they were going to have a push, and we didn’t find a way to finish it off.”.

That’s the story of the season for the Islanders. Head Coach Patrick Roy didn’t seem to have many answers but admitted for the first time he thinks the team lacks confidence in poise in the big moments.

However, Roy did make sure to say when asked, unprompted, “Our asses weren’t tight… after the 3-2 goal.” That gave his presser a lighter tone as he had to discuss another late collapse to a divisional foe.”

The Islanders’ next game is Tuesday night in Edmonton against the Edmonton Oilers.