BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Barry Trotz likes to say his players “go to school” when it’s time to learn right from wrong, especially the wrong part. The day after the Islanders blew a 2-0 third-period lead to the Panthers on Oct. 24, finishing with a 3-2 overtime loss, Trotz pulled out the blackboard to drum into his players’ heads that there’s no place for giving away points like that.



What followed was a five-game winning streak during which the Islanders trailed for all of 18:14 over 305 minutes played. They certainly seemed to learn.



No doubt a similar lesson will be imparted in the wake of Monday’s 4-3 shootout loss to the Canadiens. That the Islanders never trailed until Joel Armia’s fifth-round shootout goal ended matters, but this teachable moment won’t be about holding a lead.



“We were awful,” Trotz said before your intrepid reporter could get a question out postgame. “The better team won.