I think this was a game the Isles could have definitely won if they had their “real” team on the ice. The way Pittsburgh has played against the Isles as of late, you wonder if they’re in for a repeat performance from last season. I mean seriously, two of those goals were softies and the Islanders were battling out there. The grit and intensity was there, but the polish, experience and smarts wasn’t.

Going 0 for 5 on the powerplay didn’t help things either. But then again, this has been this team this season. They stay in pretty much every game they play, but they can’t get that goal that gets them over the hump or that big hit that fully changes the momentum. Instead they just hang on all game and then give up or lose their intensity for a few minutes and bam, it’s all over. Over the first 60 games of this season, I really thought this team could find a way to come together. Sadly, that hasn’t happened.

On another note, Sean Bergenheim was all over the ice last night. He was taking the body, taking shots, getting into shooting lanes and stick handling well in traffic. There was only problem. He didn’t finish. Good players that take seven shots on goal in a game usually come up with one and Bergie didn’t. If he can find a way to get his shooting percent up to a respectable .10, I can guarantee he becomes a 20-goal scorer next season. Right now though, he’s just a sparkplug that can’t fire when his team needs him to. However, he does get brownie points for dropping the gloves and “showing up” with Brooks Orpik after his hit on Maria Hossa.

Note to Hossa: Don’t stand on the tracks when the train is coming through.

It’s hard to be rough on Wade Dubielewicz in this situation. I mean sure, two of those goals I think he should have been able to stop, the first one by Jarkko Ruutu and the other by Georges Laraque, but the Islanders defense didn’t do anything special to keep these players out of the shooting lanes or threatening. While the team overall is depleted, the defense is particularly suffering. I know they’re missing four regulars right now, but you can’t be overly impressed with some of the rest of the defensive core has shown. Rob Davison, Bryan Berard and Freddy Meyer have had their moments, but it remains to be seen how successful they can be in a full-time role on this club.

Like I’ve said a thousand times this season, this team is going to have some serious decisions to make this offseason.