Following a surprisingly competitive start, the Islanders have posted two wins, 16 regulation losses and two overtime/shootout defeats in their last 20 games.

Even the front office's most ardent Kool-Aid dispensers would have to acknowledge that as an ugly quarter-segment of an NHL season that reached only the halfway turn Monday at Edmonton.

Meanwhile, coach Scott Gordon continues to praise his lottery-bound team's work ethic in the throes of an absurd 250-plus man-games lost to injury in half a season. He even has resorted to an old standby, dusting off the lack-of-respect card when referring to the league and its referees' recent treatment of the Islanders following their latest loss to the Oilers.

There seems to be no such thing as an easy two points for the Edmonton Oilers, even when they're at home against a struggling team. Andrew Cogliano's goal midway through the third period gave Edmonton a 3-2 victory over the New York Islanders on Monday night. "We just couldn't lose this game," Cogliano said.

As well as the San Jose Sharks played for the first half of the game, coach Todd McLellan was more concerned about the lackadaisical way his team finished. Mike Grier scored two goals in a game for the first time in nearly two years and the San Jose Sharks held on to beat the New York Islanders 5-3 Saturday night to extend their run of dominance on home ice.

Doug Weight earned the admiration of his teammates -- and opponents -- with a milestone pass. Weight's first of two assists Friday night made him the eighth American-born player to reach 1,000 points, but the New York Islanders lost 5-4 to the Phoenix Coyotes. "It was unbelievable for the team to stand up and give me a hand and the crowd, too," Weight said.

Petr Prucha provides quite a punch when he gets into the New York Rangers lineup. His only problem has been getting regular work. Prucha got the Rangers even Monday night when he scored one of New York's four third-period goals that carried them to a 5-4 victory over the New York Islanders. The speedy Czech forward has only two goals this season, but both were scored after lengthy benchings.

Despite snapping a three-game winless streak, the Buffalo Sabres aren't taking any solace from gaining two points the hard way. Ales Kotalik and Drew Stafford scored shootout goals, and Ryan Miller stopped both of New York's attempts in Buffalo's 4-3 victory over the Islanders on Saturday night. The Sabres, though, squandered a late third-period lead, and the Islanders tied it with a pair of goals...

Rick DiPietro returned to the goal just over two months after meniscus surgery. Bill Guerin scored twice to reach 400 NHL goals. But the most unusual aspect for the New York Islanders: they won. DiPietro stopped 28 shots, and Kyle Okposo and Freddy Meyer added goals to give the Islanders their first win in 11 games, a 4-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday night.