The Islanders’ back-from-vacation 4-3 overtime loss to the Canucks on Saturday afternoon at Barclays Center was very much like a Rorschach test.
And the picture will only become clearer after the Islanders, who did not practice on Sunday, continue their three-game Brooklyn homestand against the Stars on Tuesday night.
On Saturday, it was possible to see the resiliency in rallying from a two-goal deficit to earn at least one crucial point. It was possible to see how the team knocked off the rust after a 10-day All-Star Game/bye-week break.
But it was also possible to spot some shaky goaltending from Thomas Greiss and worry about Derick Brassard’s third line with Michael Dal Colle, who did score his third goal, and Tom Kuhnhackl, who was benched in the third period.