3 Takeaways: Isles Fall in Winnipeg 4-2

The New York Islanders put forth a better effort on Tuesday night, but ultimately got the same result, falling 4-2 to the Winnipeg Jets at Canada Life Centre.

Anders Lee scored a pair of goals in the loss, which was the Islanders third straight in regulation and snapped the Isles seven-game winning streak against the Jets.

Gabriel Vilardi, Neal Pionk (PPG), Mason Appleton and Kyle Connor (ENG) scored for the Jets, who sit atop the NHL standings with 62 points.

Ilya Sorokin stopped 40 of 43 shots in the loss, while Connor Hellebuyck stopped 36 of 38 in the win.

With the loss, coupled by Washington’s 2-0 win over Anaheim, the Islanders (48 points) dropped to sixth place in the Metropolitan Division, tied with Washington and Pittsburgh (48 points each), though both teams have played two fewer games.

"A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION"

While Tuesday’s result wasn’t what the Islanders wanted, their effort far surpassed Monday’s 5-0 washout in Minnesota.

“Last night was frustrating on a bunch of different levels,” Kyle Palmieri said. “You have an opportunity to redeem yourself and obviously it didn't show up with the two points tonight, but I thought we competed hard and I thought we battled. Sometimes it just doesn't go your way but it's at least something to build on for the last game in this trip.”

The Islanders had some jump out of the gate on Tuesday night, pushing the pace with the Central Division leading Jets. Vilardi opened the scoring for the Jets at 9:41 of the first period, potting a Josh Morrissey rebound that caromed off Adam Lowry before making its way to Vilardi.

The Isles showed some pushback, with Lee deflecting a Mike Reilly point shot past Hellebuyck just as an Islanders power play expired at 15:53. The second period tilted a little more in the Jets’ favor, but Sorokin kept his team in the game until a pair of whacky Winnipeg goals 2:39 apart at the end of the period had the Isles down 3-1.

That’s not to say the Isles didn’t have chances of their own, with Noah Dobson getting a AAA chance in the second that went off the shaft of Hellebuyck’s stick when the game was tied 1-1.

Lee scored his second goal of the night – and his 16^th in 20 career games vs Winnipeg – 35 seconds into the third period to make it 3-2. The Isles made a push, credited with six high-danger chances in the third period, but the stingy Jets kept them at bay, as Winnipeg has held their opponent to two or fewer goals in 20 of their last 21 games.

Penalties also hindered the Isles comeback bid, as they were shorthanded five times in the game, including a penalty with 4:22 to play in the third. Lee said while the Isles were largely able to overcome the penalties, it disrupted some of their flow. Connor eventually iced the game with an empty-netter in his first game since Dec. 10.

“Guys were working, guys responded,” Lee said. “Obviously, it wasn't enough to get the job done tonight, but I think it's a step in the right direction when you're facing adversity like this.”

SOROKIN SOLID, BUT WHACKY GOAL POWERS WINNIPEG:

Ilya Sorokin has been asked to do a lot for the Islanders in the absence of Semyon Varlamov and on Tuesday night, Sorokin started his second game in as many nights.

It wasn’t unfamiliar territory for Sorokin, who has now started on consecutive days seven times in his Isles career. The Russian netminder was in top form for the first 35 minutes of the game, playing aggressive and challenging Jets sharpshooters like Connor – who Sorokin denied on a one-timer in the slot.

Given how well Sorokin was playing and how much had been asked of him over the past 12 games – the most consecutive he’s played in his career – the Jets’ second goal didn’t feel just. On the play, Sorokin’s right skate blade was knocked clean out by a Cole Perfetti shot, rendering the goalie hobbled. While he was able to push himself across the ice once, he got stranded out of position shortly after, unable to move himself back into the net without his blade, leaving an open net for Pionk.

“We've had a couple of interesting goals on this trip,” Head Coach Lane Lambert said. “When you're fighting it a little bit, or struggling a little bit, sometimes these things happen. The alley-oop goal in Nashville and tonight this one. [We’re going through] a little bit of adversity and so we just have to make sure we find a way here to stay positive and keep going.”

Sorokin told reporters that was the first time something like that had happened to him and proved to be the first of two whacky goals in quick succession, with Appleton banking one off him at the side of the net shortly after.

Lambert said after the game that Varlamov has skated once since suffering his injury against Colorado, so the Isles will continue to ride Sorokin, who will have two days off before the Isles play again on Friday.

LINEUP CHANGES:

Pierre Engvall missed Tuesday’s contest with an upper-body injury and is considered day-to-day. Oliver Wahlstrom drew back into the lineup in his place.

With the personnel change, the Isles also juggled their lines, with Mathew Barzal centering Simon Holmstrom and Cal Clutterbuck, while Wahlstrom played with Bo Horvat and Anders Lee.

JG Pageau centered Matt Martin and Julien Gauthier while Hudson Fasching skated with Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri.

On defense, Adam Pelech and Scott Mayfield were reunited after a one-game separation, as were Mike Reilly and Sebastian Aho.

NEXT GAME:

The road trip wraps on Friday night in Chicago. Puck drop is at 8:30 p.m. eastern.