Senators 4 – Islanders 1
For all the success the Islanders have had this season, they still have at least two weaknesses that have traditionally plagued them. Last night, they were seen again.
“The games we play against the Rangers, we give so much emotion and energy, that it’s hard to come back,” said Alexei Yashin, who was nearly invisible in the Isles’ 4-1 loss to the Senators last night in front of 13,384 at the Nassau Coliseum.
The defeat also extended the Islanders’ winless streak against the Senators to eight games (0-7-1) and they haven’t beaten them at home in 13 tries (0-10-3).
“That’s the way it’s been,” Yashin said.
Rarely more so than in the Isles’ listless performance against the Senators. The Islanders are chasing Ottawa for the fifth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, but hardly looked like they realized that.
The defeat snapped a three-game winning streak. The Isles now trail Ottawa by six points and the Devils propelled themselves into a virtual tie for sixth place with a win over Pittsburgh last night.
“We have to play harder than this,” Snow said. “Crazy things can happen and teams don’t make the playoffs.”
The Isles didn’t hit, create scoring chances and didn’t look like the same team that outplayed the Rangers on Monday night.
“You don’t want that kind of stuff to happen,” said Michael Peca. “But the energy is so high, it’s hard to duplicate and play that well again. But we’ve got to find ways to battle through it. That’s what the playoffs are like.”
Just 17 seconds into the game, Ottawa’s Marian Hossa stripped Shawn Bates from behind and quickly put the puck past a rusty Garth Snow, filling in for Chris Osgood, who had started the team’s last 12 games.
Although the Islanders tied the match at 4:55 of the first period on Mariusz Czerkawski’s 20th goal of the year – off a pass from Yashin – they never appeared in control. They fell to 0-3-1 this season to the Senators, who employ a tough (and tough to watch) neutral-zone trap. It has worked wonders against the Islanders.
“From the time the puck was dropped, we weren’t ready,” said Peter Laviolette. “We have to be [tonight] in Toronto, because it won’t be an easy game.”
Although this is only Laviolette’s first season behind the Islander bench, he knows the troubles of coming off a game against the Rangers. When asked if he believed in a possible Ranger after-effect, Laviolette admitted: “I guess I have to. It’s tough to accept, because we had a day off to recover.”
Benoit Brunet gave Ottawa the lead for good when he scored off a rebound of a Radek Bonk shot at 4:20 in the second and the Islanders never got back in it.
Martin Havlat gave the Senators a 3-1 lead at 1:22 of the third when he split the Islanders’ defense and scored on a breakaway. Havlat then put it away at 12:38 when he poked one around Snow.
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Steve Webb left the game with a mild concussion following a hard check in the second the period. His status is day to day . . . Isles traveled to Toronto last night after the match and face the Maple Leafs tonight.