Devils Deliver Knockout Punch in Round 3 of Trilogy

Devils celebrate game winning goal (Photo by Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images)

          With under two minutes to play, in a span of fourteen seconds, the Islanders relinquished the lead they got late in the game, and lost 2-1 to the New Jersey Devils, Saturday night.
          The Islanders played a solid 58 minutes of hockey, and shutout the Devils in that time.  However, in the final two minutes the Isles' hearts were ripped out when two quick goals gave the Devils the lead, and eventually the win.
          With the loss the Islanders fell to 28-31-9 on the year.  Their 65 points is nine behind the eighth place Washington Capitals.  Their road to the playoffs has now become much more difficult.
          All the goal scoring was done in the third, but that doesn't mean the first two periods were not entertaining.  The Islanders started their rookie goalie Anders Nilsson in net.  It was Nilsson's second start in three games.  His last start came against these same Devils last Sunday, and in that game he posted his first career win and first career shutout.  The Devils countered with their backup goaltender Johan Hedberg.  
          Both goaltenders held their own as they each stopped all shots thrown at them in each of the first two periods.  The Islanders were out shot by the Devils in the first two periods 21-16.  
          The third period saw all the action.  It started at the 6:46 mark when Isles' center John Tavares would give the Islanders the first lead.  Tavares took a beautiful pass from right winger PA Parenteau and buried a one-timer over the shoulder of Hedberg.  The goal was Tavares' twenty-seventh of the year.  The Islanders held the lead for most of the period as the Devils could not find a way to get one through Nilsson.  However, at the 18:21 mark, right winger David Clarkson fired a wrist shot that found its way through the pads of Nilsson, to tie the game at one.  It was Clarkson's twenty-eighth goal of the year.  Just fourteen seconds later at the 18:35 mark the Devils would deliver the decisive blow.  With Parenteau in the penalty box, defenseman Marek Zidlicky would bury a slap shot by Nilsson, to make it 2-1.  The goal was Zidlicky's first of the year, and his first point since being traded to the Devils at the trading deadline.  
          The loss was very hard to swallow by the Isles but they must put it past them and focus on the future.  They sit nine points out of a playoff spot, and have fourteen games left to play.   
          Their final push starts tonight at the Madison Square Garden where the battle of New York will take place, against the Rangers. Puck drop is 7 PM.