Islanders go winless on the road with loss to lowly Chicago
Anders Lee of the Islanders scuffles with Jason Dickinson and Isaak Phillips of the Chicago during the first period at the United Center on Friday in Chicago. Credit: Getty Images/Michael Reaves
CHICAGO — It wasn’t a must-win in terms of the playoffs. But circumstances and weak opponent dictated that Friday night certainly was a can’t-afford-to-lose for the Islanders.
Yet they did despite rallying from a two-goal deficit in the third period. The Islanders dropped a 4-3 overtime decision to Central Division-trailing Chicago, which was playing on back-to-back nights and has a long list of injured players — starting with No. 1 overall pick Connor Bedard — on Friday night at United Center to finish 0-3-1 on a potentially season-wrecking trip.
“I don’t feel the team is anywhere near where it can be or should be,” said coach Lane Lambert, whose job security may start to come into question with the team 2-6-2 since Dec. 31. “We have some players on the team that we clearly need more from.”
The Islanders (19-15-11) got 20 saves from Ilya Sorokin in his eighth straight start as he faced numerous odd-man rushes. Chicago (14-30-2) had scored a total of five goals in losing four of its previous five, including a 3-0 loss in Buffalo on Thursday night.
“Careless play,” Lambert said. “Just really a lack of respect for the way the game should be played in terms of our F3 [third forward] in the offensive zone making sure he was above them. Some bad reads, some bad decisions to pinch and the odd-man rushes hurt us. It’s unacceptable.”
Defenseman Seth Jones scored the winner 21 seconds into overtime. It spoiled the NHL debut of the Islanders’ Kyle MacLean.
“Pucks were going in for us in the third,” said Bo Horvat, who cut the Islanders’ deficit to 3-2 at 6:37 of the third period. “We were getting our chances all game. At the same time, we shouldn’t be in that position in the first place. We have to figure out a way to play 60 minutes of that type of hockey.”
Kyle Palmieri tied it at 3-3 at 12:50 as he beat goalie Petr Mrazek (26 saves) to the left post on a wraparound.
Chicago took a 2-1 lead with two goals within 67 seconds late in the second period.
Boris Katchouk tied the score at 1-1 at 18:07 with a shot from above the circles seconds after an aggressive Sorokin kept him from getting off a good shot on a breakaway.
Chicago then caught defenseman Sebastian Aho pinching up ice as Colin Blackwell set up Joey Anderson heading toward the crease on a two-on-one rush with 45.7 seconds left in the period.
Anderson found Jason Dickinson cutting to the left post at 5:10 of the third period to make it 3-1.
“It’s one out of eight points,” defenseman Scott Mayfield said. “That sums up the trip. It’s not good.”
The trip started with a 3-1 loss in Nashville as defenseman Alexandre Carrier’s shot broke Mayfield’s stick and blooped over Sorokin for the winner with 7.9 seconds left in regulation. The Wild thoroughly outplayed the Islanders in a 5-0 win on Monday. They were better the next night in Winnipeg but still lost, 4-2.
The Islanders led 1-0 after a first period in which Chicago took the game’s first seven shots. But Hudson Fasching fed Brock Nelson heading to the crease at 6:09 for his 20th goal of the season and first point in five games.
“Clearly it took us a while to get our legs going,” Lambert said. “Once we did, I thought we generated a fair amount.”
In addition to Bedard (fractured jaw), Chicago’s injured list includes former Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall, Nick Foligno and former Islander Anthony Beauvillier, acquired from the Canucks on Nov. 28.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
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