John The Fisherman Lands a Big One: Islanders 5 - Red Wings 1

We told you. We saw this coming, and the Red Wings proved us right.

After an emotional comeback win against the Blackhawks on Sunday night, the Wings flew out to Long Island to take on the putrid New York Islanders. However, as has happened so many times in the past, the Wings were flat from the moment the puck dropped, and they sucked their way to a 5-1 loss.

This was a game that was brutal on so many levels. The Wings were out-skated, out-muscled and just plain out-played throughout the entire game.

The Ghost of Budd Lynch struck again. Brad Stuart took a roughing penalty and then indicated to the referee that he was thought stripes made him look fat, so he earned a second minor. However, the Islanders didn’t need the extra time, as they converted within the first half of the double-minor when John Tavares’ cross ice pass bounced off Matt Moulson (mmmm, beer) and in the net.

We all thought the second was going to be better. We were wrong.

The Wings came out strong in the second period, getting the first 6 shots and generally controlling play. However, it wouldn’t be a Wings game if they weren’t down by at least 2 goals at some point, and Tavares made it 2-0 when he took a drop pass from Kyle Okposo and ripped a shot over Ty Conklin’s glove hand. Those two struck again 4 minutes later when Okposo took a pass from Tavares and beat Conklin after a terrible line change by the Wings. Michael Grabner finished off the shitshow we called the second by converting on a breakaway, and the rout was on.

The Wings ruined Nabokov’s shutout 2 minutes into the third period. Justin Abdelkader tipped in Jakub Kindl’s point shot, giving us all something to half-heartedly cheer about. Moulson got his second of the game when he tipped Mark Streit's point shot , ensuring there would be no Wings' comeback.

• I now know why the NHLPA blocked realignment: the Islander players were upset that the Wings weren't included in their division. Seriously, that makes 4 losses in a row to the Islanders.
• Explain this road trip to me: Saturday night in Toronto, Sunday night in Chicago, Tuesday night in New York. Do the schedule makers not have access to a map?
• Tough night for Ty Conklin. He played his ass off on Sunday night, but his team gave him absolutely no help tonight. The Red Wings allowed 17 shots in the first period, and he only allowed one goal, and it wasn't a softie. Hopefully his Conkfidence hasn't been broken.
• Seriously? Up 5-1 with 22 seconds left and you call a timeout? The Islanders can't even blow people out the right way.

• After being so praising of Filppula last night on the podcast, he rewards us with a game that I can guarantee is going to give him nightmares tonight. He was robbed by Nabokov in the first period while the game was still scoreless, and missed a wide open net in the third when there was still time to mount a comeback.

• The excuses are plentiful: 3rd game in 4 nights; no Pavel Datsyuk; 11 forwards and only 6 D (since Commodore didn't see the ice). It doesn't matter. This team is far too good to lose to a team like the Islanders, and they should be embarrassed that they were blown out the way they were tonight. I understand that they're tired and had the dads and blah blah blah. 3 straight games with terrible first periods is concerning, regardless of what the outcomes ended up being.