Islanders frustrated Golden Knights’ hit on Matt Martin wasn’t five-minute major

Among the ignominies suffered by the Islanders in Saturday’s 5-2 loss to the Golden Knights, Tobias Bjornfot’s third-period hit on Matt Martin drew some postgame complaints from the visitors.

The Islanders felt that Bjornfot should have gotten a five-minute major for driving Martin into the boards as opposed to the two-minute minor he instead received, by dint of Martin’s back being turned on the play.

“I thought Marty’s back was facing him the entire time,” coach Lane Lambert said. “Player turns into it and is responsible, but I don’t think Matt Martin, in that particular situation, turned his back on anybody. I think it’s clear that it was turned from the get-go.”

The Islanders, already down by three, failed to convert on the subsequent power play.

That diminished their already slim chances of a three-goal comeback in a game where they felt they’d played well.

“No idea. I just play and they make those calls,” Martin said postgame. “Thought it was pretty blatantly from behind, but I haven’t seen it. So it is what it is.”

Mathew Barzal’s goal in the first period Saturday broke an 11-game spell without having lit the lamp.

The goal, banked off Vegas goaltender Logan Thompson before going in and out of the net, was not initially called on the ice but confirmed on review after the officials let play continue for a few more minutes.

“I was fairly certain it went in,” Barzal said. “I was waiting for the buzzer to go off, it didn’t go off. Eventually it did. I saw it.”

Despite the recent lack of goals, Barzal holds a three-game point streak and is one of two NHLers to have gone all season without failing to score points in consecutive games when healthy, the other being Bryan Rust, per team statistician Eric Hornick.

The Islanders had two prospects, Danny Nelson and Quinn Finley, on the Team USA World Juniors squad that beat Sweden to win the gold medal on Friday.

Both played on the fourth line and both finished the seven-game tournament with two points (one goal, one assist).

The Islanders flew home from Las Vegas on Sunday and did not hold practice.