Capitals, Islanders face off after disheartening losses

It took just one game after the Christmas break for the New York Islanders and Washington Capitals to reduce their margin for error in a tight Eastern Conference playoff race.

The Islanders and Capitals will each look to bounce back from discouraging losses when New York hosts Washington on Friday in a battle of longtime division rivals in Elmont, N.Y.

Both teams were off after lopsided defeats in the New York area Wednesday, when the host Islanders fell to the Pittsburgh Penguins 7-0 and the visiting Capitals lost to the New York Rangers 5-1.

The loss was the third regulation defeat in the last 20 games for the Islanders (11-3-6), who were on the wrong end of a historic outburst by the Penguins.

After a scoreless first period, the visitors scored six second-period goals, the most goals against New York since Pittsburgh's six-goal second period on March 21, 2000. Penguins defenseman Kris Letang had five assists in the second, a single-period record for an NHL defenseman, and finished with six assists, the most by a defenseman since Gary Suter had six assists for the Calgary Flames on April 4, 1986.

The shutout defeat was the most lopsided for the Islanders since an 8-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 5 of the NHL semifinals on June 21, 2021, and their most lopsided regular-season blanking since a 7-0 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Feb. 25, 2017.

"I think the concerning part is just a lack of ability to stop the bleeding and have a response," Islanders captain Anders Lee said. "They're going to have moments where they pop one or two quick, but to let it get to where it got is just not a part of our DNA. And it was tonight."

The Islanders remained in second place in the Metropolitan Division but are just two points ahead of the Lightning, who are in ninth place in the Eastern Conference.

"We'll be talking about this for sure," Lee said before momentarily stammering for words. "I mean, that's the part that's just unacceptable. Like I said, it's just the part that we didn't stop the bleeding when we needed to."

The Capitals also played 20 scoreless minutes before enduring a disastrous second period Wednesday. Anthony Mantha gave Washington the lead by scoring 4:12 into the second before the Rangers scored three goals in fewer than six minutes.

"First five minutes of the period I think we were actually taking it to them," Capitals right winger Tom Wilson said. "We had a couple really good looks, a couple of chances. And that being said, they put it in the back of the net and they started rolling."

The defeat continued an all-or-nothing season for the Capitals, who suffered their fifth loss by at least four goals Wednesday. Washington had six such losses last season, when its streak of eight consecutive playoff appearances ended.

The Capitals, who are tied with the Lightning for the final wild-card spot, also scored two or fewer goals Wednesday for the 15th time in 32 games. Washington is averaging 2.34 goals, second-lowest in the NHL ahead of only the San Jose Sharks.

"We just need some five-on-five production and we haven't gotten that yet this year," Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery said. "So we'll continue to work at it, we'll continue to find answers, we'll continue to look under every rock to find different ways to capitalize and produce and create offense."

—Field Level Media