from Adam Gretz of CBSSports,

After their 4-3 shootout loss to Columbus on Thursday, the Islanders have won just four times in their past 15 games and are at .500 hockey (13-13-1) since late January.

The number of games a team wins down the stretch isn't always the best indicator of what it is going to do in the playoffs and can sometimes be given too much importance. It's more about how a team is playing, even if the results are not there at that exact moment.

So how concerned should the Islanders be given their recent play?

What is especially alarming about Thursday's game is that it was seventh time they have lost this season when leading after two periods. And not only were they leading 2-1 going into the third period, they scored 55 seconds into it and actually had a two-goal lead with less than 20 minutes to play.

And they still only came away with just a point by losing in the shootout.

Given the state of goal scoring in the NHL these days and how difficult it is for teams to come back from third-period deficits, that many losses when leading after two is a pretty high number.

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