TORONTO _ The Islanders did just about everything they had wanted to do, including getting a good bounce. They played a solid, disciplined game. They showed resilience by regaining the lead after having lost it. All it brought them was a single point.
They lost to the Maple Leafs, 4-3, in a shootout. Tyler Bozak beat Jaroslav Halak and Frederik Anderson stopped all three Islanders attempts _ stoning John Tavares in the final shot at Air Canada Centre.
Auston Matthews tied the score for the Maple Leafs with 3:29 left, tipping a shot off Nick Leddy and past Halak. That answered the fortunate bounce that the Islanders received when Jordan Eberle tossed the puck at the net and saw it bounce here and there, off a Leafs players leg and into the net. Eberle's goal occurred at 3:07 of the third, less than a minute-and-a-half after Toronto's Morgan Rielly had tied the score at 2.
Halak was outstanding in the 3-on-3 overtime, allowing the Islanders to make it to the shootout.
It was an emotional, exhaustive exercise for the Islanders against a strong team that had won seven in a row at home _ in an environment that is particularly exhilarating for the Islanders.
It is all Tavares all the time when the Islanders visit Air Canada Centre, not far from where he grew up. "It's still always a lot of fun," he said, but added, "I've been doing it for nine years."
He has been a big name and popular figure around here since he was a pre-teen. The interest in him has ramped up with the prospect of unrestricted free agency and at least the possibility that he could play for the Maple Leafs. No one brought that up during the scrum at the morning skate, but a member of the local media did address his future from a different direction, asking about the potential of younger teammates such as Mathew Barzal and Anthony Beauvillier.
"We still have high hopes for this season," Tavares said. "We know we can be a lot more consistent, starting with myself. All of it starts with me, setting an example for the group."
His team had an excellent beginning Thursday night and, oddly, it did not start with the captain. They pressed the Maple Leafs in their own end and kept taking advantage of miscues. Ryan Pulock seized on one of those, ripping a shot from the left point that went in and out of the net so quickly that goaltender Frederik Andersen (among others) did not seem to know it had gone in at 8:39.
Barzal, who assisted on that shot, scored one of his own, poking a rebound into an open net after Sebastian Aho began the play with a strong rush. The goal at 11:45 was Barzal's 17th of the season and his first since Jan. 15.
So, it was almost a flawless period for the Islanders. Almost. The Leafs drew within 2-1 at 17:39 after Tavares turned the puck over. It wound up with Mitch Marner, who slid it past Halak from the left circle.
Halak was perfect in the scoreless second period, helping the Islanders to kill three penalties. After two, the Islanders had held the Leafs to 17 shots, an achievement that had been one of the top priorities heading into the game _ and into the final phase of the season.
"We know we're an offensive team, a puck team and we're going to capitalize on chances," Doug Weight had said earlier. "We've got some talent. But it's playoff time. February, there are going to be some grizzly games. It doesn't matter if we're a physical team or not, we've got to play physically and engage."
