Islanders Allowing Metropolitan Division to Slip Away to Rival Rangers

Thanks to a home loss to the New York Rangers on Tuesday night, the Islanders find themselves up just one point but having played four additional games than their rivals.  In short, the Isles may have lost the division two nights ago.

Sure you could say it is just one game and there is still “plenty of season left” but division champions win games like last night’s contest.  This team simply didn’t rise to the moment.

Yes, it was a fluke goal scored by Rick Nash of the Rangers – a halfhearted centering pass/shot that deflected awkwardly off of Ryan Strome that found its way past surprised goaltender Jaroslav Halak.  However, it was the inability to respond to that moment that has to leave Islanders fans shaking their heads.

After taking a 1-0 lead after 1 period, on home ice, you had to figure the Islanders were ready to prove they were the class of the division.

Simply put, they just didn’t prove that.  In fact, they lent major credence to the Rangers case.

Although the Islanders have weathered their share of storms this season – short losing streaks, the loss of Kyle Okposo, Mickhail Grabovski, and now, the loss of Nick Leddy for an unspecified amount of time, the Rangers have been playing with their backup goalie and haven’t missed a beat.

The Isles beat Henrik Lunqvist three times then fell short to yes, Cam Talbot.  Who? Exactly.

And last night, they scored just one goal.

Good teams find a way to win.

That’s the line coaches of teams from pop warner and little league to the major leagues of all sports have bellowed.

For the most part, that has been this Islanders modus operandi this season – Rallying to defeat Toronto on Monday, scoring a last second goal in Washington to secure a point comes to mind.  But last night, when the chips were down, they managed yes, just one goal in a very disheartening loss of definitely one game but possibly, the division title.