COLUMBUS, Ohio _ It was as bad a start to a season opener as could be. Then it got worse.
The Islanders surrendered a goal just 1:07 in, to Sonny Milano, and never recovered. The 5-0 loss to the Blue Jackets that kicked off the 2017-18 season was their worst season-opening defeat since a 6-1 loss to the Capitals on Oct. 9, 2003.
And it was a five-goal hole less than halfway through the game, when Columbus rookie Pierre-Luc Dubois snapped one past Thomas Greiss to make it 5-0 and send Greiss to the bench.
Milano and Dubois both scored their first NHL goals; Cam Atkinson, Ryan Murray and Ethan Werenski had the others as the Islanders looked completely out of sorts in their first game of the new season.
Calvin de Haan wasn't ready for Greiss' pass behind the Isles net off a harmless dump-in and the Blue Jackets quickly capitalized, with Milano streaking down the slot for his first goal.
Columbus came up the ice with speed for which the Islanders had no answers, and the Blue Jackets clogged passing and shooting lanes in their own zone, forcing some poor decisions by the Isles on offense. Sergei Bobrovsky made 30 saves for the shutout.
The Islanders turn right around and face the Sabres in Brooklyn on Saturday.
