Canucks 5 (EN), Islanders 2: Isles fail to grab playoff spot with loss

4 days ago  /  Lighthouse Hockey

Photo by Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images


Two nice goals weren’t enough to beat a Canucks team that seemed to have more urgency tonight. With a chance to grab a playoff spot with a win tonight, the Islanders just couldn’t get it done. It was a weak game for Ilya Sorokin, who let in two soft goals back to back, resulting in Marcus Hogberg coming in for him in relief, but it’s not like the Isles gave much scoring support either. Depth scoring showed up again, with Casey Cizikas and Tony DeAngelo both getting on the board for the Isles, but the big guns couldn’t get past Thatcher Demko.
With the loss tonight, the Isles miss the opportunity to go back into a playoff spot for the first time since November.
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Well, the Islanders started strong, with Bo Horvat forcing a good save from Thatcher Demko early on. Horvat was visible all period, but couldn’t get on the scoresheet despite additional good chances.
The Isles doubled up the Canucks in shots in the first frame, but things got tougher after that.
Kiefer Sherwood opened the scoring for the Canucks early in the second, and then Horvat was called for tripping.
But on that power play, JG Pageau picked up an errant pass and then got the puck to Casey Cizikas, who wristed it past Demko to tie the game.

Then Elias Pettersson (the defenseman, not the currently injured center) and Anthony Duclair were both called for roughing, leading to a 4 on 4 where Tony DeAngelo gave the Islanders the lead after picking up a loose puck in front of Demko.

Anders Lee nearly had a chance to extend the lead while on a 2 on 1 with Duclair, but Demko made the save.
Then, former Islander and major part of the Horvat trade, Aatu Raty, tied the game at 2, after getting in behind Max Tsyplakov and alone in front of Ilya Sorokin.
With just 20 seconds left in the second, Derek Forbort would give the Canucks the lead on a goal Sorokin probably would want back.
And speaking of goals he would want back, Teddy Blueger scored early in the third to make it 4-2, and so Sorokin was pulled for Marcus Hogberg. The two goals were given up on back to back shots.
Quinn Hughes was called for tripping, but the Isles couldn’t convert on the power play.
JG Pageau took a puck to the face off a Marcus Pettersson shot and didn’t return for the rest of the game. Hopefully he’ll be alright, but it was a scary sight to see him bleeding quite a bit.
The Isles’ best chance of the third was when Pierre Engvall put a shot off the post, but even with a late Pius Suter hooking penalty, giving the Isles a 6 on 4 opportunity with Hogberg pulled for an extra skater, they couldn’t get anything back.
Instead, after the penalty expired, Kiefer Sherwood put the puck into the empty net to make it 5-2 Canucks.
Up Next
Next, the Islanders will have a few extra days off as they travel to Tampa Bay to take on the Lightning on Saturday afternoon. Depending on how the games go in the interim, it could be another opportunity at a playoff spot.
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