Good Morning, Islanders Country.
The Isles continued their winning ways in the windy city.
The Isles had to dig in from the start. In the opening minutes, Lane Lambert’s team was dealt a blow early when Casey Cizikas delivered a blow.
The fourth-line center was handed a five-minute major and game misconduct after running over Chicago goaltender Alex Stalock. While Stalock was outside the crease, Cizikas didn’t make an effort to avoid the collision. His night was over, and some writers speculated a suspension could follow.
Almost immediately, the Isles’ league-best PK was put to the test and rather calmly killed off five minutes and gained momentum. Playing down a man for 57 minutes, the Islanders showed resolve and poise, picking up the slack for Cizikas in a strong defensive effort, allowing only 22 shots on goal.
They didn’t have their A-game, but facing adversity, they found a way to pick up two points in a choppy and sometimes chippy game on the road.
Coming up, the B-Isles stay hot on a Dufour winner, but it was another prospect named AHL rookie of the week. Plus, the Islanders are a good investment, a looooong home winning streak ends, and Isles Nation grows by one.
Let’s dive in.
🏒 IN SHORT: Brock Nelson scored for the third consecutive game and added an assist for the Islanders as they defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1 at United Center on Tuesday. Anders Lee also scored, and Ilya Sorokin made 21 saves for the Islanders (6-4-0), who have won four straight. Jonathan Toews scored, and Arvid Soderblom made 28 saves for the Blackhawks (4-4-2) after he replaced Alex Stalock at 2:56 of the first period. Zach Parise scored an empty-net goal.
KEY MOMENT(s):
🔷 Toward the end of the first period, the Isles converted on the power play when Nelson’s shot trickled through Soderblom and was swept in by Lee for a 1-0 lead. The Isles captain now has five goals on the season, with three coming on the PP.
🔶 At 7:23 of the third, Ross Johnston backhanded the puck to center ice, where Nelson picked it up and raced down the wing before letting go of a wrist shot that beat Soderblom to extend the lead.
3 REACTIONS
❶ NOT THAT TYPE: “I'd have to look at it again. I haven't, you know, haven't revisited it. I just know that Casey's not that type of player that's going to hit a goaltender on purpose.” - Lane Lambert on the Cizikas’ play
❷ CLOSING IT OUT: “That's a huge part of the game that could turn things a different way, and then the power play getting us off to a lead. Sorokin did a good job making the saves and then in the third period we did a good job closing it out." - Brock Nelson on killing the major penalty
❸ EASY PUCKS: “The players did a great job the last three games, I have just easy pucks, big work from our defensemen and forwards.” - Ilya Sorokin on the team effort
⏭ NEXT UP: The Islanders continue their mid-west road trip on Thursday night when they visit the St. Louis Blues. The puck drops at 8:00 PM ET.
📊 STANDINGS:
📰 NEWS: Ross Johnston returned to the lineup, taking the place of Matt Martin, who missed the game for a very good reason. “He does a great job of handling that role,” Lambert said of Johnston before the game. “He understands what his role is here. Part of that is he works hard, and he keeps himself ready for when he comes in.” Johnston picked up a primary assist on Nelson’s goal.
◾️ In Newsday, Andrew Gross talked about the energetic (and healthy) start of the season for the “Identity Line” that, despite being a trio of 30-somethings, is playing as youthful as ever.
The Bridgeport Soundtigers picked up another win early on Tuesday, defeating the Charlotte Checkers 4-3 in a shootout to extend their unbeaten in-regulation streak to seven games (6-0-1-0). The win was head coach Brent Thompson’s 300th AHL victory. William Dufour ended the game on his first professional shootout attempt, keeping it simple and simply shooting.
👏🏻 AWARD-WINNING WEEK: 2018 second-round pick Ruslan Iskhakov was named AHL Rookie of the Month after finishing the month with rookie and team-leading four goals and seven assists for 11 points in seven games for Bridgeport. After being held scoreless on opening night, Iskhakov tallied points in six straight games to finish October.
As a refresher, Eyes on Isles writes about Iskhakov’s road to Bridgeport and how he has been projected in recent years.
💰 PRICE POINT: Sportico released its NHL team valuations on Tuesday, and the New York Islanders were ranked 13th amongst NHL franchises with a team value of $920M. Following their first season at UBS Arena, 2021-22 revenue was at $205M, up drastically from $66M generated during the 56-game 2021 season played at the Nassau Coliseum and from $94M in 2019-20 when the team played games at both the Coliseum and Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
📚 SOUND SMART: Per Eric Hornick in The Skinny, the Isles have outscored their opponents 19-9 in the third period; the nineteen goals and +10 differential lead the NHL. Four of those nineteen goals have been empty-netters.
🗓 THIS DATE IN ISLANDERS HISTORY: On November 2, 1982, the Islanders had their 30-game home regular-season unbeaten streak end when they lost on home ice 3-1 to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The team went a remarkable 28-0-2 during the streak. It was the Islanders' first regular-season loss at the Nassau Coliseum since Dec. 29. 1981 when they were beaten, 5-4, by Montreal.
🔗 Islanders' fourth line playing with youthful spring in its step by Andrew Gross, Newsday “The Islanders’ longstanding fourth line plays with a physical edge that can rapidly age a player and Casey Cizikas, Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin, teammates since 2013, have been 30somethings for a while. But there’s been a youthful spring to their collective performances with that trio all healthy to start this season.”
🔗 Sportico announces NHL team valuations; here is where the NY Islanders rank, Eyes on Isles “Sportico released its NHL team valuations on Tuesday, and the Islanders were ranked 13th amongst NHL franchises with a team value of $920M.”
And we leave you with this ….we mentioned that Matt Martin missed the game for a good reason. Shannon Hogan delivered the news during the pre-game that Isles Nation has grown by one following the birth of their second daughter, Alice James. Congrats!
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.....EVEN the major was a truly-RIDICULOUS call on Casey; could NOT have been MORE apparent that he had NO way of avoiding HARD impact with Stalock - wasn't ANYwhere else to go - and United Airlines Arena's poor ice condition, CLEARLY contributed to as much;, if I'm not mistaken, we DID see THREE Blackhawks players subsequently lose THEIR edge.....if this league assesses him a suspension, NEEDS to be fought against HARD by Lamoriello and team management; appealed.....