Islanders Suffer Crushing loss to Capitals

Capitals celelbrate their game-tying goal (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

          The Islanders suffered a crushing 3-2 defeat to Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals, Tuesday night in Washington. 
          The Islanders carried a 2-0 lead deep into the game.  But a desperate Capitals team was able to score two goals in the final 3:30 before winning it in overtime.
          The Islanders seemed to have luck on their side early in the game.  The Capitals outplayed them in every aspect of the game in the first period, outshooting the Isles 13-3.  However, Evgeni Nabokov was able to stop all thirteen Capital shots.  Josh Bailey was able to capitalize on one of the Isles' shots, netting a backhander by Caps goalie, Michal Neuvirth.  It was Bailey's seventh goal of the year.  
          In the second period the Islanders were able to right the ship, and played a much better road period.  They outshot the Caps 12-7 but none of those got by either net minder.  
         The third started out great for the Islanders.  Coming off a better second period the Isles continued their solid play in the third.  And just over two minutes into the frame the Isles were able to extend their lead.  Matt Moulson was able to tip a Steve Staios shot past Neuvirth to make it 2-0 Isles.  It was Moulson's team leading twenty-seventh goal. 
         The game clock was at 3:30 and the Islanders had a comfortable lead and seemed to be ready to skate out of Washington with two points in hand.  However, the Capitals had other plans.  
          With 3:29 left in the third Troy Brouwer tipped one by Nabokov's left pad and cut the lead to 2-1.  Then with just twenty-six seconds left in the game the Isles confidence was crushed.  With their goalie pulled, the Capitals were able to tie the game when Brouwer scored his second, tipping one by Nabokov yet again.  The goals were Brouwer's sixteenth and seventeenth.  That sent this contest into overtime.
          With the Islanders having one point secured they did not want to lose this crucial second point in a contest they thought they had locked up.  But just 1:35 into the overtime period, Alex Ovechkin snapped a shot by Nabokov and sent the Islanders to their locker room dumbfounded.  It was Ovechkin's twenty-sixth of the year.
          The Islanders did get one point, however, and now sit eight points behind the Capitals, the very team they just lost to.  They now have 19 games left and need to turn it up to another gear, and get as many points as they can.  
          The Islanders continue their four game road trip, when they travel to Philadelphia for a matchup against the Flyers, Thursday night.  Puck drop is scheduled for 7 PM