The later it gets, the more a desperate team needs a strong stomach and a good heart to deal with the roiling emotions of a playoff drive. Even more important is a solid third period, which is what the Islanders most needed and what they did not have.
They allowed Matthew Tkachuk to score twice in the final period and saw their two-goal lead wither into a painful 3-2 loss to the Flames Sunday night at Barclays Center.
Tkachuk decided it with only 1:05 left when he bounced a shot off the post and watched it trickle off Jaroslav Halak and into the net, costing the Islanders a chance to build on their uplifting win Friday and wasting an opportunity to improve their position in the Eastern Conference playoff chase.