The New York Islanders handed the Los Angeles Kings their first road loss of the season in an exciting 3-2 overtime victory on Tuesday night. The Islanders got off to a strong start, taking a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals from Josh Bailey and Jordan Eberle. The Kings responded in the second period with two goals of their own, tying the game at 2-2.
The game remained tied until the third period, when the Islanders’ Brock Nelson scored the game-winning goal in overtime. Nelson’s goal was his fifth of the season and his second game-winning goal in as many games.
The Islanders’ victory was a huge boost for their playoff chances, as they now have a record of 30-20-7 and are just two points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. The win also snapped a four-game losing streak for the Islanders, who had not won since February 10th.
The Kings, meanwhile, have now lost three of their last four games and are now 27-25-5 on the season. Despite the loss, Los Angeles still holds onto the third spot in the Pacific Division, but they are now just one point ahead of the Calgary Flames.
The Islanders will look to keep their playoff hopes alive when they take on the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night. The Kings, meanwhile, will look to rebound from their loss when they face off against the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday night.
It was an exciting game between two teams fighting for playoff positioning, and in the end it was the Islanders who came out on top. With just over a month left in the regular season, every game is critical for both teams as they battle for a spot in the postseason.
