Islanders Frustrated in Overtime Loss to Kings Despite Dominating Play
New York drops a tough one at UBS Arena as Artemi Panarin scores twice for Los Angeles.
The New York Islanders suffered a frustrating 3-2 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night, despite controlling the game's play and holding a significant advantage in shots on goal.
Artemi Panarin, a former Islander, scored twice for the Kings, including the go-ahead goal that ultimately proved to be the difference. His second goal came before Brandt Clarke netted the overtime winner, handing the Islanders a defeat on a night where their performance, aside from the final score, was largely positive.
The Islanders outplayed the Kings for much of the contest, tilting the ice and doubling, and at times tripling, their opponent's shot output. However, a lack of finishing and some early rust from goaltender Semyon Varlamov proved costly. Varlamov appeared out of position on both of Panarin's goals.
The Islanders' lone regulation goal came on a power-play one-timer from Victor Eklund that Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper mishandled. In the third period, Matthew Schaefer tied the game with his first goal of the season, a wrist shot from the right circle.
Despite the tying goal, the third period saw the Kings play their best, and the Islanders were unable to capitalize on the momentum. The Islanders did manage to extend their points streak to five games by forcing overtime, securing one point from the homestand.
However, for the second time in their last four games, the Islanders were left feeling they could have secured two points. After Bo Horvat's shot early in overtime, the Islanders did not touch the puck again before Clarke scored the winning goal.
The performance offered few signs for concern beyond the result itself, though Varlamov's glove side appeared susceptible. This was his third start of the season, and it remains too early to definitively assess his effectiveness after two partial knee surgeries. He did, however, stop Adrian Kempe's penalty shot and made 24 saves overall.
With three consecutive games without a win, the Islanders remain committed to their current strategy, especially without a readily available alternative within the organization. While the loss was frustrating, it was not considered an indictment of the team's overall direction.