The excuses are certainly there. Semyon Varlamov, the starting goalie for the night, left the game early after getting up gingerly from making a save, and recent depth defense pick-up Robert Bortuzzo left in the second period unable to put any weight on his right leg. The Colorado Avalanche generally don’t lose at home, and they have the firepower to overcome most goal deficits. Clearly, the Avalanche outplayed them and probably would’ve won more comfortably if Alexandar Georgiev played better. The officiating was particularly atrocious, even by NHL standards. And when you play in the mountains, the altitude is always a factor.
Islanders News: Another blown lead and lost point
