Islanders get trounced by Hurricanes in latest embarrassing loss

RALEIGH, N.C.— The Islanders’ belief that they can turn the season around is running into the hard reality of what it looks like when they get out onto the ice. The latest ignominy, Tuesday’s 4-0 defeat to the Hurricanes at the Lenovo Center, was only the latest in what is now 33 games’ worth of evidence that the Islanders — who were last above NHL .500 on Oct.

25 — are a team that will need everything it has just to reach mediocrity. Against a team that eliminated them from the playoffs the last time they played in this building in April, this performance from the Islanders brought to mind the 6-3 defeat, which ended their 2023-24 season. Just like that night, the Islanders fell behind at the start before seeing every chance at generating momentum get crushed before it got off the ground.Unlike that night, this never even looked like it might become close. The Hurricanes were faster, stronger on the puck, harder at the front of the net and — to no one’s surprise — light years better on both special teams units than the Islanders.

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By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Mathew Barzal and Adam Pelech returned to the lineup just two days prior, after six weeks of waiting, and already that has been completely overshadowed because the Islanders’ myriad problems look the exact same as they did with them out. Instead of using the injury returns to build momentum for a run, the Islanders will need wins in both of their remaining games before Christmas just to get back to NHL .500. Mere days after Patrick Roy publicly admonished the Islanders over their failure to protect Ilya Sorokin’s crease, the Islanders played their softest game of the season at their own net, giving up every rebou...