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The New York Islanders failed to build momentum after their win over the Boston Bruins on Thursday, falling to the Montreal Canadiens in a shootout today.
In what was a pretty even first period, Montreal opened the scoring about midway through the frame. Jeff Petry’s point shot took a bounce in front and managed to get through Ilya Sorokin, marking the only tally of the frame, as the Canadiens took a 1-0 lead into the intermission.
The Islanders struck only about 1:30 into the second period, as Kyle Palmieri tapped in a rebound on a power play to tie the game. Despite New York limiting Montreal to just five shots in the frame though, Josh Anderson put Montreal back ahead late in the period, beating Sorokin with an excellent shot from the side of the net.
New York really pressed in the third period, sustaining a lot of pressure and generating some really good opportunities. After they couldn’t capitalize and were running out of time to tie it up, Brock Nelson managed to chase down a loose puck with under three minutes to go, drawing the game even and sending it to overtime.
Montreal rebounded to dominate the extra frame before Mathew Barzal basically just kept control of the puck for the final minute and after neither team could win it in overtime, the game went to a shootout. After Anthony Beauvillier and Cole Caufield both scored and then Mathew Barzal was stopped, Rem Pitlick beat Sorokin, meaning New York needed a goal. With the pressure on Brock Nelson, he was stopped by Andrew Hammond and the Canadiens took the win.
While the Islanders were the better team through a good chunk of the game, once again, their inability to actually capitalize, even when up against a goalie who hadn’t started an NHL game in four years, remains their downfall. The Islanders rank 29th in the league in goals per game and it’s an issue that’s unlikely to change anytime soon.
Once again, the Islanders lost out on what should be two points against a team at the bottom of the standings. They may have put together a strong game against Boston in Thursday’s win, but when that game comes with losses to Buffalo and Montreal on either side of it, the win doesn’t mean much.
That stretch of games comes after a huge win against the Vancouver Canucks was followed up with two losses against the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames. Essentially, despite some good performances, the Islanders can't manage to gain any ground and are just slipping further down the standings.
With another shootout loss, the Islanders have also won just two of their nine games that have gone past regulation this season, between games decided in overtime or a shootout.
New York’s next game comes on Tuesday, as they kick off a five-game road trip against the Seattle Kraken.
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OTHER ARTICLES FROM FEBRUARY
Islanders beat Senators 4-1
Islanders wrap up homestand with shutout loss to Kraken
Kraken claim Austin Czarnik off waivers from Islanders
Islanders beat Canucks after five-goal first period
Islanders drop both games of back-to-back against Oilers and Flames
Islanders fall to Sabres in final game of road trip
Islanders pick up 4-1 win over Bruins 
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