Islanders enter break on down note with loss to expansion Kraken
Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov during game against the Kraken during the second period at UBS Arena on Wednesday. Credit: Errol Anderson
The Islanders went meekly into the All-Star break with their most lifeless, discouraging performance of a disappointing season. The first-year Seattle Kraken made them look like the expansion team.
"Too many turnovers, got out-competed, their will was a lot stronger than our will," said coach Barry Trotz, who described himself as "[ticked] off," which was clearly evident. "They wanted it more. Words don’t mean anything. It’s actions
"It’s one of the more disappointing games that I’ve coached as the Islanders coach. I just didn’t think our level of desire was very good."
The Kraken, a distant last in the Pacific Division, won, 3-0, on Wednesday night at UBS Arena to conclude a seven-game homestand and a stretch of 14 of 15 at home for the stumbling Islanders.
"We viewed this game as a must-win," Brock Nelson said. "We needed these points."
Ex-Islander Jordan Eberle, playing his first game against his former team since being selected in the expansion draft, set up the winning goal. The Islanders were booed off the ice in a makeup of Saturday’s snowed-out matinee with both teams playing on back-to-back nights.
The Islanders (16-17-6), have lost four of six in regulation, are 17 points out of a playoff spot and, per hockeyreference.com, had just a 6.2% chance of reaching the postseason entering Wednesday.
The Islanders’ Semyon Varlamov made 28 saves and Philipp Grubauer stopped 19 shots for the Kraken (15-27-4), who had lost two straight. He notched his first shutout of the season while the Islanders have now been blanked five times and were outshot 31-19 on the night.
Trotz said he must consider lineup changes when the season resumes next Wednesday at Vancouver.
"Yeah, absolutely," Trotz said. "I’m [ticked] off right now. I’ll let the emotion hopefully go away. I’ll re-assess our team. We’re going to need more. We’ve got to put in a better effort.
"You’re only as good as your top players. The top players weren’t very good tonight. I think our workers were OK."
Jared McCann’s short-side goal from a sharp angle on the right off Eberle’s feed from behind the crease made it 1-0 at 6:04 of the third period. Defenseman Vince Dunn pushed it to 2-0 with a backhander from the slot at 8:35 and Mason Appleton added an empty-netter with 1.5 seconds to go.
The Islanders didn’t get their 10th shot until defenseman Scott Mayfield directed one from the blue line at 13:22 of the second period.
"There’s frustration after a loss," captain Anders Lee said. "An opportunity to win a hockey game with 20 minutes to go. We go out there and there’s a few minutes of just dead hockey."
The Islanders were also supposed to play in Seattle on Jan. 4 as part of a road trip that included Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary. But with Canadian cities limiting attendance because of a COVID-19 surge, the league opted to push those games later in the season. The Islanders will now make their first visit to Seattle on Feb. 22.
"It’s been the one that you circle right when you see the schedule," Eberle, who has gone 21 games without a goal, said last week. "My time on the Island was obviously pretty fun. Anytime you go through eight or nine playoff series with pretty much the same group, you’re going to gain some friendships."
He received a slight ovation when he was announced as a starter and a loud one during a first-period video tribute. As the crowd cheered, Eberle skated to center ice, pointed into the stands in appreciation, then pointed at the Islanders’ bench.
Otherwise, there wasn’t much to rile the crowd during an uneventful game.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
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