As Billy Guerin said on the MSG Hockey Night Live panel, the Islanders played well and deserved a better fate. They did.

Up two goals early in the second, the Islanders were flying and it looked like the #WhiteOutTheRed may have actually worked. But somewhere along the line, Bruce Boudreau reminded his team about the embarrassment in Manhattan the night before and the Caps scored three unanswered goals to extend their streak over the isles to ten games.

Personally, I believe the difference wasn't just what clicked in the Caps minds but also what happened in the Islanders heads after their young defense corps was shaken once again.

I didn't see Bruno Gervais get hit in the face with a puck on the bench. I was trying to get back to the press box from Doolin's after meeting up for social media night. I was surprised he had to leave the bench since he said he'd be wearing that full shield for the remainder of the season. That was one D off the bench.

Then Travis Hamonic was then hit with a puck and went down on the ice and stayed there. Play continued and the longer it did, the more annoyed I became. Where was the whistle? Again, I think that Hamonic doesn't receive any respect from those in striped shirts. When there was finally a whistle, the trainer came out to help Hamonic who lay face down on the ice. Upstairs, we questioned where Travis was hit. It was later determined to be his hip.

Luckily, and probably due to his youth, Hamonic came back and scored the Isles second goal only a few seconds after the second period began. That was the payback for getting clunked with a puck and not getting an immediate whistle.

It wasn't enough. Kyle Okposo's gorgeous goal at 13:48 of the first that started the Islanders momentum was soon erased by goals from Brooks Laich, Mike Knuble and Alexander Semin (with a little help from Alex Ovechkin).

Ugh. Without Radek Martinek on the ice to keep Ovie from getting chances, the Islanders couldn't take back the lead.

Michael Grabner had his chances, but was denied again. His goal scoring still stands at 25. He has not scored a goal in his last six games, but he did have an assist on Okposo's beauty.

They played well. The NHL's Brian Compton's Tweeted, coach Bruce Boudreau on the #Isles: "They're going to be a really good team in the not-too-distant future." We believe that.

Rob Schremp, back on the waiver wire, played 13:46 with 1:24 on the power play. He had one shot on goal and lost both face-offs he was tasked with. If this was a showcase for him to be picked up by another team, it may not have said much.

Neither did he in the dressing room. And this is where I failed. I wanted to speak to Rob since I have been a supporter of his since he was picked up off waivers from Edmonton.

He sat in his stall with his head down, that very shaved head of his facing the reporters gathered to his right. No one was speaking to him, and he wasn't making it easy to approach him.

He went about his business undressing in silence. And while I wanted to speak with him, even though I wasn't quite sure what to say, I couldn't bring myself to approach him in his state of undress. I looked away and stayed in the back of the crowd. I wasn't even sure who they were speaking with. It could have been MacDonald, it could have been Grabner. I couldn't see or hear anything.

Kyle Okposo returned to the room to be interviewed and the gaggle of reporters moved to surround him. Again, I stayed in the back of the pack. By the time Rob Schremp was dressed enough for me to look in his direction, he bolted from the room.

I missed my opportunity to speak with him -- perhaps my LAST opportunity. That weighed on me heavily.

Montoya spoke briefly with cameras around him. Even Stan Fischler had to do acrobatics to get the MSG microphone close enough for him to answer questions for the broadcast.

I was there, but my head wasn't. I have no idea what he said.

"They had a little more in the tank than they showed in the first. They took the momentum after that first goal, which we would like to have that one back. It's a tough outcome. I think we deserved to win the game. The team played well in front of me. It was a hard effort, but we didn't come away with the win. You give them a little bit of life and they run away with it."

That's what was on my tape recorder this morning from Al Montoya.

When I turned off the recorder and the reporters left the room to head out to hear Jack Capuano's post game comments, I stopped to thank Al Montoya for what he did the game before.

"That was great what you did, shutting down that reporter during that post game. I wanted to thank you." I said smiling at him. He smiled back. "He was being a jerk, wasn't he?"

Yes, he was. And from a fan's perspective, hearing an ex-Ranger stick up for the Islanders and their arena was priceless. But all Al wants to do is help the team win.

We both failed last night.

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