NHL scores 2016: The Islanders just keep flirting with disaster

If it seems like we already wrote about late-game heroics saving Jack Capuano from the axe, you’re right! We did. Just a few days ago.

And somehow, the Islanders did it again. After blowing yet another lead in the third period — this time a 3-0 lead over the Penguins became a 3-3 tie in 12 minutes of play — New York salvaged a win from the jaws of defeat. Anders Lee’s deflection with 27 seconds to go in the third has, once again, kept Capuano safe from the chopping block.

In just a matter of moments, the narrative on the Islanders flipped. What seemed like a game in which New York would finally bottom out after their November spiral turned into a statement.

Yet, is it? The 5-3 win is the Islanders fourth and final win in the month of November. No matter the triumphant outcome of this game, that’s not good. Take away two goals on Wednesday and one on Monday, the Islanders are likely looking at a new bench boss this time today.

It is, however, something the Islanders can build on. With the pieces they have, the Islanders by all accounts should be better than their 8-10-4 record. Underperforming big name players and bad defensive play has them in this position. Now, they have the chance to prove they’re better than they’ve shown. Two gutsy wins in their last two games could just be the spark the Islanders need.

However, their first step before getting back onto the horse? Learning how to hold onto a third period lead.

Islanders 5, Penguins 3
Flames 3, Maple Leafs 0
Sharks 4, Kings 1

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1. The Maple Leafs continue to be bad in back-to-backs

Thirty seconds was all it took for the Maple Leafs to be out of it. Two goals in the first 49 seconds for the Flames was all they really needed in their 3-0 shutout of Toronto. Now, the Maple Leafs have lost all five of their back-to-back games this year. Sure, no one really plays great on the tail end of two games in two days, but the Maple Leafs have the league’s second highest back-to-back games scheduled at 18. That’s almost a quarter of their season playing back-to-backs, with a performance trend in those games that’s not very favorable.

2. Chad Johnson might be good!

When the Flames picked up Brian Elliott in the offseason, it seemed that the former Blues starter would finally have a chance to be a No. 1 goaltender in his own right. Yet after an .885 save percentage start to the year that has derailed Elliott and the Flames, it now seems to be Chad Johnson’s net. The former Sabres netminder now has a .930 save percentage in 13 games played and posted three shutouts in November, a franchise tying record for Calgary.

3. Sidney Crosby is the Islanders’ worst nightmare

We already know Crosby is the boogyman of the Sabres, but his stats against the Islanders are quite remarkable.

4. Brent Burns, a goaltender?

If being a pretty great defenseman doesn’t work, the Sharks blueliner can always transition to goaltending!

Matt Murray had an outstanding save on John Tavares in the second period that eventually allowed the Penguins to climb back into the game. I normally steer away from the clutch save narrative, but Murray’s play was quite key here for Pittsburgh’s comeback.

The Islanders tied some NHL history on Wednesday with two goals in three seconds. The first was Lee’s tiebreaker, the second an empty net goal from Nikolay Kulemin that occurred right off the ensuing face-off!