3 Takeaways: Islanders Lose Lead Late, Fall 3-1 to Wild

The New York Islanders fell to the Minnesota Wild 3-1 on Thursday night at UBS Arena. It was an abrupt loss, as the Islanders carried a 1-0 lead through two and a half periods, before the Wild scored three unanswered goals in the final 9:05 of the final frame.
"We played a good game, just beat ourselves late in the third," Anders Lee said following the loss. "We just kind of shot ourselves in the foot a little bit too much tonight."

Scott Mayfield scored for the Islanders late in the first period, generating the team's only goal with a long-range shot to beat Filip Gustavsson stick-side. Frédérick Gaudreau (SHG) and Sam Steel scored 1:33 apart to put the Wild ahead, while Kirill Kaprizov (1G, 1A) iced the game with an empty-netter.
The loss marks the second time the Islanders have lost when leading after two periods, dropping them to 15-2-0 when leading after 40 minutes.
The loss also snapped the Islanders point streak on home ice at four games, while their winless streak was extended to four games (0-3-1).

ISLANDERS LOSE LEAD LATE IN THE THIRD:

The Islanders were in the driver's seat through two and a half periods, and given their 15-1-0 record when leading after two periods entering the game, that should have been enough.
However the game changed in a flash, with the Islanders giving up two goals in the span of 1:33 to allow the Wild to complete the comeback.
Frédérick Gaudreau capitalized on a two-on-one rush, burying a shorthanded goal to tie the game. The goal crossed the goal line by a hair, as Sorokin got a piece of it, but not all, as the goal stood after the play was reviewed. The goal was the fifth shorthanded tally allowed by the Isles this year.
"I think whenever you give up a shorthanded goal, it's going to take a little momentum away," Mayfield said. "We got some chances on the powerplay and couldn't convert."
The Wild continued to carry that momentum, as Mats Zuccarello moved in on Sorokin high on the slot, ultimately feeding Sam Steel, who scored the game winner for Minnesota. The quick goals were the only blemish on Ilya Sorokin's night, as Sorokin made 33 saves on 35 shots and was inches away from a save-of-the-year candidate on Gaudreau on the tying goal, catching the puck, but just over the line.

ISLANDERS OFFENSE CONTINUES TO STRUGGLE:

Thursday marked the third straight game the Islanders only scored a single goal.
Going back a little further, the Islanders have been held to two goals or fewer in six of their last seven games.
"We had our looks, plenty of good looks. We're not converting on them right now," Lee said. "It's one of those stretches, it's frustrating."
WILD 3, ISLANDERS 1
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The Islanders were outshot 36-20 on Tuesday night and recorded a season-high 23 giveaways in the loss.
"Turnovers are going to happen," Mayfield said. "You just have to clean them up a little bit better than that tonight."
Though a disappointing loss, the Islanders scored the first goal for the first time in six games.

ISLANDERS GO FIVE-FOR-FIVE ON PK:

A bright spot in the loss was the penalty kill, as the Islanders killed off all five penalties on Thursday night.
In the process, the Islanders maintained their perfect three-game PK streak killing off all eight penalties over that span.
"Our killers had a great game, killed them off," Lee said. "Sorokin played phenomenal."
Despite holding up through five power plays, time spent on the kill took away from offensive opportunities.
"It takes away from the flow of the game," Josh Bailey said. "I think the guys that aren't on the kill... they're sitting there for quite a while. It just throws the rhythm off."

NEXT GAME:

The Islanders continue their five-game homestand as they'll host the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night at 7pm at UBS Arena.