3 Takeaways: Islanders Win Streak Ends in Shootout Loss to Capitals

The New York Islanders picked up a point in their 4-3 shootout loss to the Washington Capitals, but neither a point, nor extending their point streak to four games, were of much consolation in the immediate aftermath.
The Islanders entered the game 18 points back of the Capitals for the second Wild Card spot, with four games in hand, needing two points in regulation - as well as a pair of regulation wins in their final two meetings in April. Instead of closing the gap on Tuesday, it widened by a point, as Anthony Mantha scored the game-deciding goal in the eighth round.

"We've done good things and didn't get the result," Brock Nelson said. "To put it bluntly, knowing where we're at, the time of year, we'd like to have that one in regulation for sure."
Nelson, Kyle Palmieri and Anders Lee scored for the Islanders, while Mantha, Axel Jonsson-Fjallby and Alex Ovechkin scored for the Capitals in regulation.
Semyon Varlamov stopped 29-of-32 shots in regulation, plus another six-of-eight in the shootout. Vitek Vanecek stopped 29-of-32 shots in regulation and stood up against seven-of-eight Islanders shooters.

NELSON, LEE AND PALMIERI STAY HOT:

There are some familiar faces winding up on the Islanders' score sheets of late - and Tuesday was no different.
Lee scored his eighth goal in five games, Nelson scored for the fifth time in the past six games, while Palmieri scored his second-straight game and for the ninth time in the past 15.
Down 1-0, Nelson netted his team-leading 24th goal of the season. Nelson was in the right place at the right time, as Zdeno Chara's point shot caromed off Dmitry Orlov and right onto his stick for the quick put-back. The Caps challenged the call for goalie interference, since Lee's stick made contact with Vitek Vanecek, but the goal stood. The ruling in the Islanders favor marked the first time in five opponent challenges this season.
Nelson nearly had a second goal during the tail end of six-minute stretch without a whistle, as he put a shot off both posts and out.
Washington seemingly took a 2-1 lead with 5:54 to play in the second period, as Justin Schultz banked a shot off Evgeny Kuznetsov, but the Islanders successfully overturned the goal on an offside challenge, since Kuznetsov entered the zone illegally.
Palmieri then put the Islanders ahead 2-1 at the 17:02 mark of the period, scoring his 10th goal of the season. Palmieri - who extended his point streak to five games (3G, 3A) in the process - was the beneficiary of some slick work from Josh Bailey, who weaved into the Capitals' zone, went outside-in on John Carlson and dished to Palmieri. Bailey's assist was his seventh point in the past six games. The Islanders forward had needed 19 games to record his previous seven points prior to his current streak.

CAPS COME BACK, ISLES SHOW RESOLVE:

Washington did not go away quietly in the third period, battling back to take a 3-2 lead on goals by Jonsson-Fjallby and Ovechkin.
Jonsson-Fjallby finished a two-on-one rush with Orlov at 10:13 of the third period, tying the score 2-2 and netting his first-career goal in the process. Capital One Arena went into a frenzy at 15:02, as Ovechkin scored his 767th career goal, breaking a tie with Jaromir Jagr for sole possession of third on the NHL's all-time goals list.
Ovechkin snapped a shot off an offensive zone draw and was then congratulated by all of his teammates, who poured off the bench to celebrate the milestone. The Islanders, now trailing by one, had to regroup, with veterans like Andy Greene keeping the spirits high on the bench through the party scene.
The Islanders resolve showed in the final two minutes, as Lee evened the score 3-3, grabbing a Noah Dobson rebound in the slow and firing it past Vanecek at 18:01.
"It was a good response, obviously the place was going crazy for Ovi and there's a lot of energy in the building and we fought through that and found a way to concentrate at the task at hand," Trotz said.
CAPITALS 4, ISLANDERS 3 SO
ISLANDERS ARTICLES
Gamecenter
Rapid Recap
ISLANDERS-CAPITALS VIDEO
Full Highlights

KINGER'S CALLS
Nelson's 24th
Palmieri Stays Hot
Lee Ties It
Overall, Trotz didn't dislike his team's performance on Tuesday, citing the closeness of the Islanders-Capitals matches in recent years. The resolve after Ovechkin's goal, coupled with the efforts over the team's recent stretch, had coach and players alike feeling like the Islanders were more consistently playing to their identity.
"We got into a little bit of a rhythm, we're starting to win some games and get some points," Trotz said. "Even when we haven't, we've played more to what we're capable of closer to the ceiling than to the floor."

VARLAMOV SOLID AGAIN, BUT SADDLED WITH LOSS:

Varlamov was saddled with the loss on Tuesday night, but the Islanders goaltender delivered another quality performance, especially in overtime and the shootout.
Varlamov was the difference in overtime, when Washington outshot the Islanders 7-1 in the three-on-three session. The Isles netminder came up with key saves on Kuznetsov, Ovechkin and Orlov to send the game to a shootout.
After going nine rounds against the Philadelphia Flyers on Jan. 18, Varlamov had to go the distance again on Tuesday, facing down eight Capitals shooters, allowing two goals, coming up with three saves and forcing three others wide.
"He's played pretty well the whole year," Nelson said of Varlamov. "You take the record away and look at what he's done, he's kept us in games. We haven't given him support sometimes to get wins. We've had the conversation about how well he's played. He's gone in there with a good attitude and makes big saves and gives us a chance every night. Guys are confident in him."

NEXT GAME:

The Islanders two-game road trip concludes on Thursday night when the Isles take on the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Puck drop is at 7 p.m.