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Islanders would love to stop blowing 2-0 leads

Brock Nelson

New York Islanders’ Brock Nelson (29) leads Radek Martinek (4), Thomas Hickey (14), and Cal Clutterbuck (15) off the ice after scoring during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2014, in Uniondale, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

AP

The New York Islanders have had some problems of late. Namely, getting ahead 2-0 hasn’t worked out very well.

The Isles grabbed 2-0 leads against the Flyers and Penguins this week only to lose both games. As forward Josh Bailey tells Arthur Staple of Newsday, it’s a delicate situation to handle.

“It’s a fine line in how we react after getting those leads,” said Bailey. “We don’t want to sit back, because we’ve seen what happens when we do that. And you don’t want to gamble too much, because we’re playing good teams who can take advantage of our mistakes.”

To sit on it or to just keep playing the same way? It’s hockey’s version of Shakespeare and the Islanders have seen just about enough tragedy of late.

Those blown leads (and games) to the Flyers and Pens stick out like sore thumbs on their schedule of late. With three losses in their past 10 games, missing out on four points in a tight Eastern Conference race could be a playoff dream killer.

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