ELMONT, New York – The strong start for the Anaheim Ducks’ season has been wiped out, as the Ducks have been unable to gain any traction on this first eastern road trip of the year.
The New York Islanders dominated the opening period and held off a late charge, 3-2, at UBS Arena on Tuesday, as Anaheim dropped its fourth consecutive game.
The Ducks had led after the first period in their first seven games of the season, but Anaheim has not led at any point in this New York back-to-back at the Rangers and Islanders.
Frank Vatrano, who played in his 700th career game last night and 300th as a Duck tonight, scored Anaheim’s lone goal late in the first period. AJ Greer and Leo Carlsson picked up the assists, Carlsson’s first five-on-five point since the season opener. Alex Killorn shot a puck off Cutter Gauthier late in the third period to cut the score to 3-2.
Ondrej Palat opened the scoring on a two-on-one, and Victor Eklund scored off a rebound for a 2-0 lead. Simon Holmstrom deflected in a power play goal for a 3-1 lead at the end of the first period.
Lukáš Dostál stopped 22 of 25 shots in his seventh start in nine games for Anaheim. Ilya Sorokin made 15 saves for the Islanders
Anaheim (4-5-0, 8 points) continues its four-game East Coast road trip in New Jersey on Thursday and wraps up at Philadelphia on Saturday afternoon. The Ducks return home to host the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday.
Anaheim came into the game with another overhauled line-up with changes to all four forward lines and all three defensive pairs looking for a spark after a listless, jet-lagged night in Manhattan on Monday.
As the Ducks tried to get their sealegs on Long Island, New York eventually struck later in the first period.
Ilya Sorokin stoned a clean one-time chance from Leo Carlsson to Cutter Gauthier on one end of the ice, and as the puck left the zone, Pavel Mintyukov jumped up and misplayed a puck at center ice.
The Islanders coasted forward for a two-on-one, JG Pageau slipped the puck across and past a chasing Mintyukov. Ondrej Palat collected and fired far side for the lead, 1-0.
Three minutes later, the Islanders doubled up on bounce against the Ducks. Emil Heineman’s point shot didn’t get through traffic, and as Dostál slid left to take on the shot, the puck deflected to the right off Victor Eklund in front. Eklund was able to quickly turn around and pop it in the open cage, 2-0.
In what was turning into another New York nightmare, Anaheim got its footing 50 seconds later. AJ Greer’s forecheck intercepted a loose puck, and he passed to a patient Frank Vatrano in front, who calmly went forehand-backhand to get the Ducks on the board, 2-1.
Momentum did not last, however, as Beckett Sennecke took a penalty on the very next shift, and the Islanders went back out by two.
Matthew Schaefer’s point shot lane was blocked out by Simon Holmstrom just at the moment of release, as Holmstrom screened Dostál and tipped it home, 3-1.
Anaheim hoped to build on something entering the second period with a power play, but that opportunity for the league’s 10th-ranked unit was snuffed out on another Sennecke penalty.
After seven power play goals in their first six games, the Ducks are 0-for-10 in the last three games.
The Ducks also sent the Islanders to the power play four times, as penalties have begun to pile up at the worst times. Anaheim has faced four opposing power plays in each of the last three games and at least three in every game this season.
After a controlling opening period for the Islanders, Anaheim had a slight statistical edge of play in the second period with nothing to show for it.In the third period, Anaheim continued to struggle to generate any offense with just two shots on goal through the first 15 minutes of the final frame, but the Ducks got a late push.
With Dostál pulled for the extra attacker, Leo Carlsson found Alex Killorn in the slot, and Killorn’s shot deflected off Cutter Gauthier’s screen to make it a one-goal game with over two minutes to play.Mikael Granlund got one last good look at goal in the final seconds, but he couldn’t hit the cage.
Pavel Mintyukov sat on the bench through the entire third period, with his last shift ending with 3:08 remaining in the second period.