Isles' Sloppy Play Against Wild Ends Home Point Streak
The Minnesota Wild scored on their first shot, setting the tone for a rough night as the New York Islanders fell 5-2 on Friday at UBS Arena. The defeat snapped their five-game home point streak and closed a 1-1-1 homestand.
The Islanders struggled throughout the game, failing to connect passes, turning the puck over, and getting outworked by the Wild, who capitalized on the sloppy play and defensive lapses.
“I don’t think we executed well at all,” captain Anders Lee said. “We were clearly off from the start. When we can’t break the puck out and keep turning it over, it makes for a long night.”
Goaltender David Rittich made 21 saves for the Islanders (6-6-2), who will now begin a seven-game road trip on Saturday night against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
“I think they beat us to a lot,” said Bo Horvat, who assisted Emil Heineman’s goal that briefly made it 2-1 in the second period. “They outworked us tonight. We’ve got to fix that tomorrow.”
Any momentum from Heineman’s goal faded quickly when defenseman Brock Faber’s knuckling shot deflected off Rittich’s glove just over a minute later.
“I guess you’ve got nights like this,” coach Patrick Roy said. “Some nights you’re on, and others you’re not.”
Author’s Summary
The Islanders’ disorganized play and lack of execution cost them a 5-2 loss to the Wild, ending their home streak before starting a tough road trip.