Instead of stringing hopes along as they make up lost games in hand, the New York Islanders are doing a good job of eliminating all hope as their season finally enters the second half.
They put an emphatic point on that trend by losing their third in a row, 6-3 to the Buffalo Sabres, in a game where they erased one-goal leads three times, only to cough up another all night long. There was some opportunistic offense and determination to equalize, but that was always undermined by often puzzling defensive lapses.
That closes a four-game road trip they started with hopes of getting that “team bonding” boost, but ended with a 1-3 and shortcomings that have plagued them all season.