First the lights, then the Isles go out at Barclays

Brief blackout precedes third-period collapse in loss to Vegas

December 13, 2018 By John Torenli, Sports Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Vegas winger Tomas Nosek takes advantage of a loose puck in front of the net Wednesday night at Downtown’s Barclays Center, stuffing home the decisive goal in the Islanders’ 3-2 loss to the Golden Knights. AP Photo by Noah K. Murray

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The 17-minute lighting failure that preceded the third period of the Islanders’ game against the Vegas Golden Knights Wednesday night at Downtown’s Barclays Center proved to be a harbinger of things to come.

Though the lights eventually came back on, the Islanders’ sputtering offense remained shut down for the evening in a 3-2 loss to the defending Western Conference champions in front of 9,182 fans on the corners of Atlantic and Flatbush avenues.

Anthony Beauvillier scored for the second time in as many contests and Adam Pelech lit the lamp for the Isles, but Tomas Nosek’s tally at 3:32 of the third period proved to be the difference in a game that saw New York held to two goals or fewer for the sixth time in the last eight games, resulting in a dismal 2-4-2 stretch.

Nosek deftly picked up a puck that was left untouched between goaltender Robin Lehner and defenseman Thomas Hickey, both of whom assumed the other was about to re-direct or grab it.

The ensuing goal deflated an Isles team that limited Vegas to a measly 17 shots.

“We held a pretty good hockey team to 17 shots, you feel you should get a point out of that,” Isles head coach Barry Trotz lamented.

“It’s a missed opportunity. We played well in so many areas of the game, but we gave them things that were a little bit unforced.”

Mathew Barzal picked up a pair of assists and Lehner finished with 14 saves for New York, which was hoping to get back into the win column Friday night at the renovated Nassau Coliseum against the Detroit Red Wings.