Kings 3 (EN), Islanders 1: Well, you can’t win them all...or even three in a row
Do I have to do everything, guys? | Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
Three consecutive Sorokin-fueled thefts was too much to ask. Anders Lee scored his team-leading 13th goal and Ilya Sorokin added another helping of showstopping saves, but the New York Islanders couldn’t get enough past the Los Angeles Kings nor overcome a poor first period, leaving them with a 3-1 loss and falling short in their bid for an elusive third consecutive win.
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The Isles survived a pretty awful first period only trailing 1-0, despite being outshot 12-3 and squandering two power plays. They returned much better in the second — though Isaiah George was removed from the rotation halfway through — but the Kings doubled their lead early.
Lee got one back in his typical style, pouncing on a rebound of a blocked shot in the low slot at 9:47. But that was it.
In the third they hit some posts and were gifted one power play from a puck-over-the-glass, but it’s clearly too much to ask for their power play to get them the goals they needed in consecutive games.
The Kings are a tough opponent on a good run, so this one was always going to be a tall order. Maybe if the Isles have a better start, the story turns out differently — though that’s generally not proven true this season. They’re a no-margin-for-error team right now, so a night where Sorokin stops 27 of 29 and Captain Lee scores again isn’t quite enough.
#Isles Patrick Roy says he'll talk to rookie D Isaiah George tomorrow. George did not play after 7:38 of the second period after struggling through the first period. But Roy stresses how good George has been and that this should be a learning experience.— Andrew Gross (@AGrossNewsday) December 11, 2024
Up Next
The Islanders begin an odd home-and-home with the last-place (but recent coach-firing) Blackhawks on Thursday, before heading to Chicago Sunday to start a geographically dart-throwing three-game trip.
It’s a great chance to collect needed points or, alternatively, deflate the shrinking balloon further still....
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