NEW YORK _ The back-to-work Islanders, playing for the first time in 10 days, know they must get back to winning consistently if they are to make the playoffs for a second straight season in the Lou Lamoriello/Barry Trotz era.
So tying the score in the final minute of the third period and salvaging a potentially crucial point in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Pacific Division-leading Canucks, who were playing for the third time since last weekend's All-Star Game, was a small victory on Saturday afternoon at Barclays Center.
"It's never easy coming out of the break, especially going against a team that's playing well and has a lot of success," said goalie Thomas Greiss, who was not particularly sharp in his third straight start. "I think we played a really good game. We played hard and dominated most of the game. They got lucky a few times. A couple squeezed in there."
