The New York Islanders ended their four-game losing streak on Tuesday and added to the Nashville Predators’ woes in the process, taking the game 3-1.
That final digit might serve some bittersweet solace for the Predators, as they were bombarded 10-0 in their past two games on Friday and Sunday. Patric Hornqvist’s goal in the third period broke a team-wide scoring slump that lasted 174 minutes and 48 seconds, according to the Predatorial’s Patten Fuqua.
Hey, at least the Preds are displaying a sardonic sense of humor about it:Preds fall to the Islanders 3-1. Glass half full - we scored a goal. #NSHvsNYI
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) November 13, 2013
Two teams facing the unknown
The Islanders face two more games at home (both tough ones, as they host Los Angeles and Detroit) before ping-ponging from a three-game road trip to four straight home contests. No doubt about it, the team must breathe a sigh of relief considering how dicey things have been even after acquiring Thomas Vanek, who’s been on the shelf with an upper-body injury.
Nashville has now lost three in a row while scoring just one goal. Still, they started off this bumpy seven-game road trip with two wins and an OT loss, so an especially pragmatic fan might look at it as less of a dire situation than it might seem.
Both teams find themselves in an interesting place: unsure if this season will allow them to be a scrappy playoff team or a franchise hoping to nab a decent draft pick.
(Considering the fact that Isles GM Garth Snow traded away valuable draft picks for Vanek, the Isles might not be able to afford the latter option.)