Senators 4, Islanders 3 (OT): Tkachuk PPG hat trick concludes frustrating afternoon

6 months ago  /  Lighthouse Hockey

Should not happen. | Photo by Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images


The Isles slump continues, though a late Bo Horvat equalizer prevented it from being a disastrous afternoon. Trying to stop a two-game goalless skid, the Islanders at least got goals but still put in a disappointing performance Saturday afternoon on Long Island. Brady Tkachuk finished a hat trick on an overtime power play to send fans home disappointed and frustrated.
If there’s a silver lining, it’s that it could have been worse. The Isles were actually down 3-2 in the final minute — and that in itself was plenty frustrating — but they got a late Bo Horvat power play goal, with the sixth attacker, to salvage a point and send the game to overtime.
Still, the shine off the six-game win streak is worn off, and it’s not like this 0-2-1 slump that followed has been due to tough luck or misfortune. They were just okay in L.A., really flat in Buffalo, and showed nowhere near enough urgency with a great opportunity to get back on track this afternoon.
[NHL Gamecenter | Game Summary | Event Summary | Natural Stat Trick]
The Isles got on the board first from an unlikely source — Matt Martin converting a wraparound shortly after an Islanders power play expired just 4:27 into the game.


WRAPAROUND pic.twitter.com/3GThfQOvQn— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) March 16, 2024




But they didn’t really follow up that opportunity the way they needed to, by pressing the foot down on a more fragile team. They reached the first intermission hanging on to the 1-0 lead, but not convincingly.
The Senators’ first tying goal was typical of the sloppiness of the afternoon. The Isles were way too stretched on their breakout and couldn’t convert a two-zone pass, then the Senators came back the other way with a 3-on-2 that became a one-on-the-goalie opportunity as Brady Tkachuk slipped behind the defense.
That tied it at 1-1 at 11:26, but the Isles regained the lead a few minutes later through some good fortune. J-G Pageau made a nice retrieval and spin pass from the left wing boards, but his pass was a little behind Kyle Palmieri, who was alone in the slot. Still, Palmieri recovered to release a quick bad-angle shot that should not have beaten Joonas Korpisalo, who kindly let it through his short side.


KYLE PALMIERI! pic.twitter.com/vukUZjcPe6— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) March 16, 2024




So the Isles again carried a one-goal lead into the intermission, but this time it was even less convincing than before.
The Senators tied it at 2-2 on another inexcusable odd-man rush, Ridly [sic] Greig [sic] converting a nice give-and-go with Tim Stutzle, while Semyon Varlamov did his best before Greig converted and mostly avoided crashing into the Isles goalie.
That was at 6:35, and there were numerous close calls over the next six minutes before the Senators were gifted a power play. Noah Dobson was in a puck battle in the corner and his swat lifted the puck over the glass for a delay of game penalty, one of the harshest versions of that call (but still technically by the book) I’ve seen.
You likely knew what was coming next. It took the Senators 16 seconds of that power play to take their first lead of the game, Tkachuk notching his second goal of the afternoon.
Things were looking hopeless until Dobson drew a hook by Mathieu Joseph as he carried the puck back to his own zone, and — be still our hearts — the Islanders actually converted on the ensuing power play.
It came with Varlamov pulled for a sixth attacker and a 6-on-4, after they won the initial faceoff and did well to hang on to the puck amid periodic pressure from the Sens’ four.
Horvat did the damage, finishing a one-timer through an Anders Lee screen for his 27th goal to make it 3-3 with 38 seconds to go.


THE GAME TYING GOAL FROM #14. pic.twitter.com/AApdRaYE5y— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) March 16, 2024




Overtime
The Isles had one decent look early in overtime, but overall while it was not passive, it was not too eventful until Horvat was out for a lengthy shift and took a penalty against Stutzle with 1:55 to go. Horvat didn’t like it and broke his stick against the boards as he went to the box, then jawed at the ref through the door as Simon Holmstrom brought him a new stick. The MSG announcers said that earned him an extra call — though there wasn’t enough time left on the clock for that to matter — but at the final whistle that hadn’t been added to the game sheet.
The Isles got several clears and nearly killed off the power play, but Adam Pelech fell in the neutral zone as the Sens rushed up ice, sending Ryan Pulock and Casey Cizikas scrambling as Shane Pinto found Tkachuk for a pretty easy finish.
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