The New York Islanders fell prey to their own foibles, to a Metropolitan Division team headed in the opposite direction — in this, the first of five meetings to come — and to the same old sub-mediocrity in an ugly, penalty-free 7-4 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Both teams were coming off playing last night, and both teams started their goalies on back-to-back nights.
But Thomas Greiss was given far more work than Cam Ward as the Canes won their fourth in a row at home and 14th in their last 16 home games, pulling within a point of the final wild card spot currently held by Philadelphia.