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Vanquished: Isles stun Canucks with seven-goal third period

Brad Richardson, Evgeni Nabokov, Kevin Bieksa

Vancouver Canucks’ Brad Richardson (15) and Kevin Bieksa (3) celebrate as New York Islanders goalie Evgeni Nabokov (20) reacts after Richardson scored the game winning goal during the overtime period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2013 in Uniondale, N.Y. The Canucks won the game 5-4. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

AP

Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis might need to send out another letter to embattled fans after the latest bit of soul-crushing drama for this team.

The Canucks took a 3-0 lead into a third period with things looking up - hey, Henrik Sedin finally scored! - yet that all came crumbling down as the Isles out-scored the Canucks 7-1 in a third period that almost seems like it could only happen to this Vancouver team.

Keep in mind this is an Islanders team that no longer boasts John Tavares (injury) or Thomas Vanek (trade).

Of note: the Islanders tied a franchise record with three power-play goals while the Canucks tied a dubious franchise record by allowing seven goals in a single period.

A closer look at that meltdown

For the sake of space and slower Internet connections, let’s throw out video of the lone Canucks goal (Christopher Tanev, which briefly tied things up) and the seventh Islanders goal (because it was an empty-netter) and glance at the six Islanders goals of note.

First, here are the three goals that tied things up.

Josh Bailey began the turnaround 1:13 into the third:

The three-minute mark was perhaps the ugliest. Ryan Strome scored at the 3:14 mark and then Calvin de Haan briefly tied things up 22 seconds later:

At the 6:22 mark, Frans Nielsen scored his 20th goal of the season to give the Islanders a 4-3 lead that lasted about three and a half minutes:

Again, Tanev made it 4-4, but Matt Martin scored the game-winner just 10 seconds later (10:04 into the third):

Anders Lee made it 6-4 not that much later (11:45 into the final frame, to be exact):

And then Clutterbuck scored that empty-netter.

So, beyond those franchise record-tying stats mentioned earlier, here are a couple other quick notes from that mind-numbing third period:


  • The Islanders scored four goals to make it 4-3 in less than five and a half minutes
  • The Canucks tied it ... for 10 seconds.
  • New York’s game-winning and insurance goals came about a minute and a half apart.
  • Lack allowed six goals on 15 shots.

***

After a recent loss, Kevin Bieksa wondered “if this isn’t rock bottom, I don’t know what is.” That answer is pretty clear after this loss.

(At least they hope so.)

Follow James O’Brien @cyclelikesedins