2023 has been a year to forget for the New York sports scene.
So when wins are few and far between, losses sting more.
Tuesday saw the New York Islanders blow yet another third-period lead, but this was a disaster of epic proportions. Down 4-1, the San Jose Sharks, who are dead last in the Pacific Division and own the NHL’s worst record, erased a three-goal, third-period deficit to send the game to overtime.
Sharks forward William Eklund scored the game-winner in overtime as San Jose completed its comeback behind four unanswered goals. As you might expect, Islanders coach Lane Lambert was none too pleased by the result.
“We had that game under control with eight and a half minutes left,” Lambert said. “To lose that hockey game is a sin.”
Lane Lambert says losing that game was an immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law #Isles pic.twitter.com/KCWIexax6K
— 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐅𝐢𝐱 (@IslesFix) December 6, 2023
If you want to get technical here — we do — a sin is an immoral act considered a transgression against divine law. So, if the Islanders blowing a three-goal lead is regarded as an act of evil/wickedness or an offense against God, how do we define what the New York Jets put their fans through week in and week out?
Getting back on track here, Greg Wyshynski, ESPN’s senior NHL writer, added “to lose that hockey game” as one of the seven deadly sins, replacing sloth — laziness and apathy — on the list. Now, perhaps “sloth” is why the Islanders lost Tuesday’s game, which they controlled with just under nine minutes remaining, but Lambert didn’t call his team lazy, though he pretty much referred to them losing last night’s matchup as immoral.
1. Pride
2. Greed
3. Wrath
4. Envy
5. Lust
6. Gluttony
7. To lose that hockey game https://t.co/EjqMKQScAl— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) December 6, 2023
If blowing a three-goal lead in the third period is considered a sin, the Islanders are going straight to hockey purgatory.
The Islanders’ latest “sin” joins the Pantheon of New York sports disappointments. While New York is in fourth place in the Eastern Conference Metropolitan Divison, the team’s epic meltdown against the Sharks is a brutal reminder of the team’s third-period struggles.
