Takeaways: Islanders Fall 7-6 to Preds in Overtime 

The New York Islanders picked up a point, but let one slip away in a 7-6 OT loss to the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night.

In a high-scoring, back-and-forth affair, the Islanders built a 6-4 lead with 3:41 remaining in the third period, but the Predators scored two goals within 1:27 to force overtime and Fedor Svechkov netted the overtime winner.

Simon Holmstrom (2G, 2A), Anders Lee, Max Tsyplakov (1G, 1A), Kyle Palmieri, Scott Mayfield (SHG) scored for the Islanders and JG Pageau had a three-assist night. Ryan O’Reilly (1G), Filip Forsberg (1G, 1A), Steven Stamkos (2G, 1A), Michael McCarron, Michael Bunting (1G, 1A) scored for the Predators along with Svechkov, while Jonathan Marchessault had three assists.

“I don’t think it was a very good game, I don’t think either team played well tonight,” Captain Anders Lee said. “One of those nights where it wasn’t our best. We had a final 20 where we took a two-goal lead, and next thing you know we’re on the kill and they put one in and get a bounce, it happened quick. It’s frustrating.”

Ilya Sorokin suffered an upper-body injury after turning aside 19 of 23 shots through two periods. Marcus Hogberg made six saves on nine shots in relief. Justus Annunen made 16 saves on 22 shots.

The Islanders’ winless skid against the Preds on the road extended to six games (0-5-1) at Bridgestone Arena. Only picking up a point in a game where they put up six goals was costly, as the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 on Tuesday night to extend their lead to eight points for the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. Five games in the regular season remain.

TAKEAWAYS

In a high-scoring affair, the Islanders and Predators traded goals in the first two periods, as the score was tied at four apiece, where neither team held a two-goal advantage through 40 minutes. The third period was the turning point, where Kyle Palmieri roofed a backhand shot past Annunen and Holmstrom set up Mayfield for a shorthanded goal to take a 6-4 lead. Nashville battled back with a power play goal from Stamkos, and Bunting tied it with a blast from the point that bounced off Alex Romanov and past Hogberg with 40 seconds left in regulation to force overtime.

“There’s nights where you’re not playing your best, your legs are not there and I thought that was the case for us tonight,” Head Coach Patrick Roy said. “We had the lead with a couple minutes left in the game, took some penalties and they scored on their power play. We were unlucky on that tying goal that hit Romanov in the face.”

Svechkov ripped a shot through Hogberg at the 1:56 mark of the extra frame, but the Islanders came close to winning it moments before, when Holmstrom’s shot rung around the post but stayed out.

“We had too many scoring chances to not put this one away,” Holmstrom said. “That chance that went off the post, you just have to score those to win.”

The Islanders’ seven goals allowed against the Predators tied a season high (7-4 loss to Buffalo on Dec. 23).

“I don’t think we were happy to give up seven,” Pageau said postgame. “It’s those little decisions sometimes, it happens fast and the details are costly.”

Pageau’s line had a solid night, as his line with Holmstrom and Tysplakov combined for nine points (3G, 6A).

“They carried the group tonight,” Lee said of Pageau’s line. “They were the ones getting pucks back, they were creating, carrying the play when they were on the ice. They were the reason we were in that game at all.”

Holmstrom had his first four-point performance of his career with two goals and two assists. The Swedish winger reached 20 goals in the season, career high, and extended his career-high point total to 44.

Lee scored his 288^th career goal on Tuesday night, taking sole possession of sixth on the Islanders all-time list in goals, passing Pat LaFontaine and Brent Sutter.

Roy provided an update on Sorokin postgame, clarifying that his injury is considered upper-body, but said he “should be okay” and took him out of the game for precautionary reasons.

The box score was a rare occurrence. For the second time in NHL history, each team provided two goals in each period. (First time was 12/14/1985 - Maple Leafs @ North Stars).

LINEUP NOTES

Roy kept his lineup the same as the last two games heading into Tuesday’s tilt against Nashville.

ODDS AND ENDS

• Ryan O’Reilly scored his 300^th career goal on Tuesday.
• JG Pageau’s three-point night was his fourth of the season.
• Max Tysplakov’s multi-point performance (1G, 1A) was his seventh of the season.

NOTABLE QUOTE

Captain Anders Lee on turning the page quickly:

“It’s all we can do. We’ve been facing this kind of stuff all year, but given the position we’re in [in the standings], this one hurts.”

NEXT GAME

The Islanders return home to take on the New York Rangers on Thursday at UBS Arena. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m.