All that good feeling, all that hard work, how quickly it can just disappear in the wake of a few mistakes.
The Islanders did not find out, but were reminded, how fleeting success can be in the NHL, as their short-lived three-game winning streak came to a screeching halt Saturday night at the Coliseum, a 3-2 loss to the Hurricanes that felt like a hit and run.
Though the Islanders held the play for most of the evening — including the push they made in the closing minutes of the third period — it was the handful of crucial mishaps that cost them, a refrain that has become worn thin by this beleaguered franchise.
So when Thomas Vanek tipped one in to cut the lead to 3-2 with 24.2 seconds remaining, and then Andrew MacDonald turned a fired a long shot in the final second that was gloved down, it still was too little, too late.
"You're in the second half now, where every game is crucial and every point is crucial," coach Jack Capuano said before the game. "There is no time to get into a [bad] stretch and look back. Before the Olympic break, this is a big stretch for a lot of teams to get some points and make up some ground. I think everyone knows how crucial these games are."
The Islanders (14-22-7) had come into the game not only on their first three-game winning streak of the season, but also having gone 6-3-2 in their past 11. The Hurricanes (17-16-9) had won two in a row after losing five straight. As strange as it might sound, Carolina is a Metropolitan Division foe, likely one of the teams the Islanders will have to best if they want to make the playoffs for a second straight season.
The Islanders opened the game with a lot of energy, yet they couldn't get anything on the board in the first after outshooting the Hurricanes, 10-7.
Just before seven minutes had expired in the second, the Islanders had killed of two consecutive penalties and seemed to have the momentum — that is, until defenseman Andrew MacDonald made a horrid turnover behind his own net. That led to Pat Dwyer feeding Manny Malhotra in front for a quick wrist shot that beat goalie Evgeni Nabokov high, giving Carolina a 1-0 lead.
The Isles pushed back, as just 44 seconds later John Tavares stole an outlet pass from Justin Faulk and played a patient game of give-and-go with Vanek, making a tidy little move from in close to beat Anton Khudobin and tie it, 1-1. The goal was Tavares' team-leading 17th of the season and extended Vanek's point streak to eight games, tying a career high.
But from there, the Islanders faltered, first with a defensive miscue getting back with just over 13 minutes gone by, leaving Jordan Staal wide open in front to give the Canes a 2-1 lead. Less than a minute later, rookie defenseman Calvin de Haan got caught up ice and the talented Jeff Skinner streaked down the ice, his breakaway shot getting stopped by Nabokov, but the rebound getting put home by Brett Sutter for a 3-1 lead.
"For us, it's about consistency," Capuano said. "We talk about it all the time in this league — it's the will to compete and the will to battle, every time you step on the ice."
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