ELMONT, N.Y. — The Islanders continue to not be able to overcome their mistakes.
A defensive lapse and a turnover turned into the Canucks’ equalizer and go-ahead goal within 45 seconds in the third period of the Islanders’ 4-3 loss on Thursday night at UBS Arena.
Semyon Varlamov made 34 saves for the Islanders (20-23-8), who opened a six-game homestand following a 2-2-1 Western road trip and fell 19 points behind the Capitals for the Eastern Conference’s final wild-card spot. The Canucks (27-23-6) have won six of eight.
Anthony Beauvillier gave the Islanders a 3-2 lead at 1:49 of the third period, stripping the puck from Brock Boeser in the offensive zone, getting to the crease and squirting the puck past Thatcher Demko (24 saves) before Boeser knocked the puck over the goal line.
But Nils Hoglander slipped below the Islanders’ defense to redirect Conor Garland’s pass to tie it at 3 at 9:34 and Vasily Podkolzin’s wrist shot from the left off a neutral-zone turnover gave the Canucks a 4-3 lead at 10:19.
"We’ve just got to play strong hockey, that’s all I’m looking for," coach Barry Trotz said. "We’ve just got to build our game. We have a lot of games in a short period. Play well, stick to the process, play our game."
The Islanders are playing 17 games in March, making it the busiest month in franchise history. Thursday marked the first of 11 games at UBS Arena this month.
Defenseman Noah Dobson, extending his career high with his 10th goal, gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead at 3:37 of the second period with a shot through traffic from the right point. Brad Hunt tied it at 1 at 7:19 of the second period with a sharp-angle slap shot from the left, seconds after ex-Islander Travis Hamonic appeared to take down Islanders defenseman Sebastian Aho behind the crease.
Potential trade bait J.T. Miller then gave the Canucks a 2-1 lead at 11:50 of the second period, extending his point streak to eight games, getting between the circles to deflect Boeser’s shot. But defenseman Adam Pelech, at the right point, set up Kyle Palmieri’s one-timer from the left circle to tie it at 2 at 18:20 of the second period.
It was Palmieri’s sixth goal in nine games and continued the recent trend of increased offensive production from the Islanders defensemen.
The defensemen combined for four goals and 12 assists on the Islanders’ five-game road trip. The uptick has coincided with Ryan Pulock’s return after missing 25 games with a lower-body injury from Nov. 16-Jan. 30.
"We haven’t changed a whole lot," Trotz said. "Pully is coming into the mix so maybe that allows Dobber to feel like he can go up a little more. Guys are feeling comfortable getting to the net or joining the play, which we always encourage. I think the shots are getting through. They’ve got a little more of a shot mentality."
Varlamov was starting for just the second time in 12 games and is a candidate to be moved in advance of the NHL trade deadline on March 21 with one season remaining on his four-year, $20 million deal, his $5 million salary-cap hit a pricey one if he’s going to be Ilya Sorokin’s backup.
He stopped all 13 shots he faced in the first period and the Islanders allowed just two shots on the Canucks’ two unsuccessful power plays over the first 20 minutes (plus three seconds of the second period). The Islanders did not have a power play opportunity against the Canucks, whose penalty kill is ranked last in the NHL.
