When you’ve lost you’re seventh straight game even the loser’s point in an overtime decision can be a bitter pill.
Suck is the case for the New York Islanders who dropped a 4-3 loss to Canucks in Vancouver Monday night.
Brendan Leipsic struck for his second goal of the game midway through the extra session to lift the Canucks to the win.
“It was lucky I was able to bail my team out there, but it was a disappointing start for me,” Leipsic said. “To be able to help my team out in the end was a plus.”
Leipsic was acquired by the Canucks on the trade deadline for the Vegas Golden Knights and has paid dividends with two goals and five points in three games.
Jacob Markstrom made 31 saves to get the win.
Darren Archibald (penalty shot) and Jake Virtanen also scored in regulation for the Canucks.
John Tavares, Jordan Eberle and Josh Bailey scored for the Isles.
“We just seem to find ways to lose,” Tavares said. “We’ve just got to find a way, a full 60 minutes to finish one out. We just haven’t seemed to finish games off.
“Whatever that is, whether it’s mental or just execution of a few plays, we’ve just got to find a way to do it. No one’s going to feel sorry for us or change the outcome but us.”
That hint of frustration is a result of the Islanders falling out of a playoff position they held for much of the season but have gone 0-4-3 over their last seven games.
“Playoff teams find ways to get two points every night,” Eberle said. “Especially right now down the stretch, some nights you’re happy with one and you’re all right with the way you played, but we can’t be happy with one. We needed two.”
The Canucks’ Brock Boeser left the game in the third period after falling through an open gate in the boards; he was stretchered off the ice and taken to hospital.
[WATCH: All Islanders vs. Canucks highlights]
Jaroslav Halak made 19 saves in taking the loss as the Isles dropped to 29-29-9.
“I mean, geez, they’re going to score a goal or two, but it seems every time a team does that against us right now, the momentum just completely shifts. And we get stuck in mud for whatever reason. It’s extremely, extremely frustrating,” the Islanders’ Anders Lee said after the loss.
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