3 Takeaways: Slow Start Sinks Isles in 4-2 Loss to Oilers

The New York Islanders couldn't overcome a slow start or counteract a speedy Edmonton Oilers team, as they fell 4-2 at Rogers Place on Thursday night.
Mathew Barzal extended his goal streak to a career-long five games, and Cal Clutterbuck scored in his return from an injury, but it was not enough to counteract a big game by the Oilers big guns, who were in good form after being blanked by the Isles at UBS Arena earlier this season.

Leon Draisaitl (1G, 1A) and Connor McDavid (2A) each had two-point games, while Kailer Yamamoto, Dylan Holloway and Zach Hyman scored for the Oilers, who snapped a five-game home losing streak.
The loss dropped the Islanders to 1-2-0 on their current four-game road trip, which wraps up on Friday night in Calgary.
"We wanted to follow up the way we finished in Vancouver, we talked about [having] a good start and we didn't get it and maybe had a worse one," Brock Nelson said. "The good news for us is we get to get right back out tomorrow and try to salvage a trip. We want to come out with a better performance and a better effort."

SLOW START SINKS ISLES:

For the third straight game, the Islanders were slow out of the gate.
They were outshot 18-4 by the Oilers in the first period and out-attempted 38-10 in the opening frame. Edmonton generated quality and quantity, with 10 high-danger chances at five-on-five and 14 overall, compared to none for the Islanders.
OILERS 4, ISLANDERS 2
ISLANDERS ARTICLES
Gamecenter
Rapid Recap
ISLANDERS-OILERS VIDEO
Full Highlights

Postgame: Pulock
KINGER'S CALLS
Barzal Extends Streak
Clutterbuck Scores in Return
It resulted in a 2-0 lead for the Oilers, who netted a power play and a shorthanded goal. Connor McDavid fed Leon Draisaitl for a one-timer on the man advantage at 9:26, and set up Kailer Yamamoto for a shorthanded chance that Yamamoto snuck through Ilya Sorokin's five-hole at 18:40. The shorthanded tally was Edmonton's first this season.
"We can't expect to start off slow and spot the other team two," Noah Dobson said. "It's a tough league play in as it is on the road. When you're playing from behind it makes it even tougher against good teams. We have to learn from that. We obviously have to fix it and get ready for tomorrow night."
The Islanders were able to close the gap with a Mathew Barzal goal early in the second period, but the Oilers took back control of the game with a Dylan Holloway slapper that beat Sorokin at 8:34.
Edmonton's speed gave the Islanders fits on Thursday and led to the Oilers' fourth goal, as Zach Hyman used his speed to get behind the Isles defense, take a stretch pass from Draisaitl and beat Sorokin with a backhander to make it 4-1.
Cal Clutterbuck cut the deficit to two, but that was as close as the Islanders came on a night they were not credited with a high-danger chance, per Natural Stat Trick. The Oilers were credited with 15 at five-on-five and 21 total.

BARZAL EXTENDS GOAL STREAK:

Mathew Barzal's career-long goal streak got a little longer.
Barzal scored for a fifth-consecutive game when he went top shelf on Jack Campbell at 4:42 of the second period.
Josh Bailey threaded a pass to Barzal around Brett Kulak, giving the Coquitlam, BC, native all sorts of time and space to beat Campbell high. Barzal's shooting mentality was evident again, as he had a team-high four shots on goal.
Barzal now has six goals over his five-game run and has eight points overall in that span.
Barzal leads the Islanders with 41 points (11G, 30A) in 40 games this season.

CLUTTERBUCK SCORES IN RETURN:

Cal Clutterbuck returned to the Islanders lineup on Thursday night after missing eight games with an upper body injury. Clutterbuck drew in for Ross Johnston in the lineup.
Clutterbuck scored in his return, deflecting a Scott Mayfield shot past Campbell with 53 seconds to play in the middle frame.
Clutterbuck finished the game with a team-high tying seven hits, two shots and a goal in 10:32 TOI.

NEXT GAME:

The Islanders wrap up their four-game road trip on Friday night against the Calgary Flames. Puck drop is at 9 p.m. eastern.