3 Takeaways: Isles Streak Snapped in 3-0 Shutout Loss to Kings

The New York Islanders six-game winning streak came to an end on Monday night, as the Isles felt 3-0 to the LA Kings at Crypto.com Arena.

Adrian Kempe, Phillip Danault and Trevor Moore (ENG) scored for the Kings, while the Isles were shut out for the fifth time this season and first since Feb. 22 in St. Louis.

Ilya Sorokin stopped 22 of 24 in the loss, while David Rittich stopped 26 in the shutout.

As a result of the loss, the Islanders (72 points) fall out of the second wild card position, as Detroit (72 points) hold the regulation win tiebreaker. The Isles still hold a three-point advantage over the Washington Capitals (69 points) who also fell 3-0 to the Winnipeg Jets. The Caps have one game in hand.

KINGS SNAP ISLES STREAK:

The Islanders winning streak was bound to come to an end at some point and a game against the Kings – the lone opponent in a playoff position on the four-game trip – on a back-to-back proved to be the antidote to the Isles potent play.

After only trailing once in the previous six games – a 16:26 stretch against St. Louis – the Kings drew first blood in the second period, as Adrian Kempe beat Ilya Sorokin with a hot wrist shot from the right dot at the 7:14 mark. Kempe’s goal – his 20^th of the season – came in transition, as the Kings corralled the puck after a quality look for Hudson Fasching at the other end of the ice.

Despite being down 1-0, the Islanders were very much still in the low-event game heading into the third period, but Phillip Danault eventually extended the Kings lead to 2-0, posting up in front of the net and deflecting a centering feed from Trevor Moore at the 6:08 mark. While the Isles rallied out of a 2-0 deficit in the third period of the team’s first meeting back in December, there was no such comeback on Monday. Trevor Moore eventually sealed it, picking off a D-to-D pass and skating it down the ice for an empty-netter.

“We were in the game and that's a good team, it's a tough building to play in,” Brock Nelson said. “We’ve had a pretty good run to this point. Obviously losing no matter what the scenario is hurts, so we’ll reassess and now we go attack in Buffalo.”

ISLES OFFENSE, POWER PLAY, STIFLED IN SHUTOUT LOSS:

After scoring 30 goals over the previous six games – including 13 against the San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks – the offense came up dry on Monday night.  

The Islanders managed 26 shots on the night, but were limited to just 13 shots through the first two periods and were out-attempted 45-27 through 40 minutes. It was a tight-checking and physical affair, with the Isles only managing five high-danger chances at five-on-five in the game.  

“They play a specific type of system,” Fasching said. “They played well, defensively. We have to give them credit where credit's due there.”

While neither team managed much at five-on-five, special teams played a pivotal role and the Isles power play, which had scored four times in the previous five games, went 0-for-5 on the night with just four shots.

It was an off-night for the power play, which nullified a potential 52-second five-on-three in the first period – albeit on a light slashing call. Down 1-0 at the end of the second period, the Isles ran into trouble with zone entries, as both Mathew Barzal and Brock Nelson turned the puck over inside the Kings’ blue line, leading to shorthanded opportunities. Down 2-0, they had two power plays in the third period, but could not convert.

“It our power play would have clicked, maybe it would have made a difference,” Head Coach Patrick Roy said, adding that he liked his team’s game overall. “When the puck isn't moving as well as we wish on the powerplay, we need to do things a little different and put more traffic in front.”

Give credit to the Kings top-ranked penalty kill, which lived up to its billing.

MARTIN OUT, FASCHING IN:

Matt Martin was a late scratch on Monday, as the winger is considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Hudson Fasching drew into the lineup for the first time since suffering a lower-body injury on Jan. 25, missing 15 games as a result of the ailment, plus the Islanders streak.

Fasching skated 10:19 and looked solid in his return, helping the new-look fourth line establish a forecheck in the first period, including a wraparound try. Fasching finished the game with one shot, four total attempts, a hit and a blocked shot.

“It feels great to be back with the team and be back on the ice just trying to find a way to contribute,” Fasching said. “Obviously on that two on one wish I could have had that one.”

NEXT GAME:

The Islanders four-game road trip shifts from the West Coast to Western New York, wrapping in Buffalo on Thursday night. Puck drop is at 7 p.m.