Ducks 3 (EN), Islanders 1: Not good enough
Psst, that guy’s open. | Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
The Islanders ran into a good goalie but also ran into themselves. The very, very, very orange Anaheim Ducks got a power play goal in each of the first two periods and that plus 41 Lukas Dostal saves was enough to keep the Islanders down for a 3-1 final Tuesday on Long Island.
Mat Barzal got one back early in the third with some nice power play work, but the Isles otherwise could not solve Dostal despite nearly doubling the Ducks in chances. The Ducks added an empty netter in the final minute.
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Equally frustrating was how the penalty kill left men alone on both power play goals conceded. Granted you’re down a man, but Frank Vatrano was allowed to walk down a completely open lane while an unbothered Leo Carlsson deflected the first one past Ilya Sorokin. And Scott Mayfield left the barn to chase in the corner, only to have to chase back as Mason McTavish tiptoed to the crease before feeding Troy Terry for a tap-in.
Pierre Engvall took the two minor penalties that led to those goals against, which won’t improve his stock.
Roy, asked about Pierre Engvall's game (two penalties), said he didn't play enough to really comment.Asked about Hudson Fasching's season debut, Roy said, "I thought it was good. I thought he played well. He did was we were asking for."Engvall logged 9:16. Fasching logged 7:56— Andrew Gross (@AGrossNewsday) October 30, 2024
The Islanders power play had a couple of opportunities that went uncashed in the second period, and their third period goal came only and just after a 5-on-3 became a 5-on-4.
Night like this when a goalie is really good can skew things, and Patrick Roy spoke of a confidence deficit hurting the offensive efforts; but the Ducks are still just the (very, very, very orange) Ducks, and the Islanders are still only above the miserable Pennsylvania teams in the Metro.
They have not yet found their game, whatever their game is supposed to be, and they appear built to frustrate as a matter of routine.
Up Next
Tomorrow night they’re in Columbus, where the Blue Jackets (4-3-1, .563) are in a better state than the single-regulation-win Islanders (3-4-2, .444)....
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