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Good Morning, Islanders Country.
The Isles are missing key pieces, but that didn’t stop them from playing one of their most complete games of the season as they kicked (and tapped) the Pens’ butts, outshooting Pittsburgh 43-21 in a relentless effort that earned the Islanders back-to-back wins for the first time in December.
Throughout the season, we’ve wondered why the Isles started games slowly, why they couldn’t put a 60-minute effort together, and why a veteran team would have so many lapses in judgment at key times.
But for whatever reason, the combination of regulars being out and hungry young players seizing opportunities has brought the best out of the rest of the lineup over the last two games. They played fast, smart, and, for the second consecutive game, were the more aggressive team from the start, playing a suffocating brand of hockey that limited their opponent’s chances by keeping them on the defense.
After Friday’s game, the team talked about it being a template for how they should play and win. They followed that template again last night to the same result - an impressive 5-1 win.
Coming up, Zeeker becomes a wingman, and Oliver Wahlstrom leaves the game early. Plus, Parker Wortherspoon’s patience is paying off, Ilya Sorokin hits the century mark, and the Räty family gets to see more than ever expected.
Let’s dive in.
🏒 IN SHORT: Mathew Barzal and Anders Lee each scored twice to lead the New York Islanders to a 5-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins at UBS Arena on Tuesday. Josh Bailey added a goal and an assist, and Brock Nelson had two assists for the Islanders (20-14-2), who won their second straight on home ice. Playing in his 100th career NHL game, Ilya Sorokin made 19 saves. Pierre-Olivier Joseph scored the lone goal for Pittsburgh, and Tristan Jarry made 37 saves for the Pens (19-10-5), who lost for only the second time in December.
KEY MOMENT(s):
🔷 After Alexander Romanov made a strong play around the net to find Noah Dobson at the point, everyone on the ice expected the shot, but the Isles defenseman spotted a wide-open Josh Bailey, who stopped the puck and put it into the yawning cage at the 11:32 mark for a 3-1 Islanders lead.
🔶 The Isles outshot the Pens 19-5 in the second period and took complete control on the scoreboard when Hudson Fasching worked through traffic from behind the goal to move the puck in front to Bailey. The puck deflected to Barzal, who found a spot above Jarry’s left shoulder for his second goal of the game.
3 REACTIONS
❶ GOT ON THEM EARLY: "It's tight in the standings and a division rival, so it's good to get on them early and get a big win," Noah Dobson said. "We just have to learn from we did tonight. We know how to play, play the right way and build on it and take it into the next game."
❷ STUCK WITH IT: "Sometimes you have a good period and you still end up even, so we knew if we just kept sticking with it we'd be just fine," Anders Lee said. "It's always nice to definitely get the go-ahead and go from there. So it was a big early goal and second.”
❸ FILLING ROLES: "Ever since he's come up, in training camp, and when he's come up with us, he's looked really good," Josh Bailey said of Hudson Fasching. "He's stepped in and filled roles with guys being out and he's done a great job. He's a great guy to go along with it to, so he has been a welcomed addition.
📰 NEWS: Casey Cizikas returned to the lineup but in an unfamiliar spot as the veteran center was moved to the wing, playing with Zach Parise and JG Pageau. “I’ve had shifts,” Cizikas said of playing the position. “There’s been times in games where Laner [coach Lane Lambert] has put me out in certain situations playing wing. Starting at wing, it’s definitely going to be different. I haven’t done it in a long time but it’s something I’m looking forward to.”
◾️ Forwards Kyle Palmieri and Cal Clutterbuck, though both are skating with the team. Zeeker’s move to the wing was necessary because the team was also without Simon Holmstrom following his knee-to-knee collision with Sean Bennett on Friday night. While the injury looked serious, Lambert was short on details before the game. “He’s not skating,” Lambert said. “He’s day to day, and we’ll see where it goes from there.”
◾️ In the first period, the Islanders went down another forward when Oliver Wahlstrom left the game shortly after delivering a big hit on Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Chad Ruhwedel. While Wahlstrom came down awkwardly, it’s unclear whether he hurt himself there or when D Pierre-Olivier Joseph, coming to the defense of his teammate, cross-checked Wahlstrom into the boards.
◾️ D Adam Pelech and G Semyon Varlamov remain on injured reserve, with neither having been able to get back on the ice. D Robin Salo and F Ross Johnston remained the healthy scratches for the Isles.
In Newsday, Andrew Gross wrote a feature on 25-year-old defenseman Parker Wotherspoon, who played in his second career NHL game on Tuesday. Gross writes about the comfort the rookie received in conversations with Scott Mayfield, who also spent extended time in the AHL before getting a chance with the Islanders. Wotherspoon has played 293 AHL games, while Mayfield, a second-round pick in 2011, played 223 for Bridgeport.
STAYED READY: “Knowing that feeling the other night was coming,” Wotherspoon said. “I was confident in my game. I had the tools. I just wanted an opportunity. As soon as I got that opportunity, I felt like I couldn’t waste it. So I just stayed ready because I wouldn’t forgive myself if I lost the opportunity.”
⏭ NEXT UP: The Islanders will next take on the struggling Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night at UBS Arena. The Blue Jackets have lost six straight and will be playing their first game since the holiday break after Tuesday’s game versus Buffalo was postponed due to ongoing travel issues to that area.
📊 STANDINGS:
For The Hockey Writers, Mike Fink came up with a number of 2023 New Year’s Resolutions to help the team make the playoffs and contend for a Cup.
Lamoriello Being Aggressive at the Deadline - The window for this team to win a championship is now and with an aging roster, they need to make all the moves necessary to remain competitive. Lamoriello needs to make a splash to help the Islanders improve in the division and prepare for a run at the Stanley Cup.
Let the Kids Play’ - The Islanders are entering a similar phase and younger skaters are a necessary addition for this team to keep them competitive, especially in a division with a lot of young and talented opponents.
Barzal Must Shoot More - He has a great shot and can find the back of the net himself but is passing up scoring chances or looking for an open skater near the net. He needs to shoot the puck more often, especially when he has open ice in the offensive zone which is common with his skating ability.
📚 SOUND SMART: Per NHL PR, Ilya Sorokin recorded his 51st win in his 100th career game. Only four goaltenders in Islanders history have earned more victories through 100 games with the franchise: Jaroslav Halak (58), Roland Melanson (58), Thomas Greiss (53), and Chico Resch (53).
🗓 ISLES REWIND: On Dec. 28, 2018, Mathew Barzal had two goals and an assist to help the Islanders score four times in the third period and rally for a 6-3 win over the Ottawa Senators for their fifth win in six games. Josh Bailey had a goal and an assist, and Anders Lee, Johnny Boychuk, and Casey Cizikas also scored for New York, which came back from a pair of two-goal deficits.
"Anytime you're down two, try to get one before the end of the period," Lee said. "We got that. And for Johnny to come out in the third and rifle one home really set the momentum for the rest of the game."
🔗 Islanders' Parker Wotherspoon making the most of first chance in the NHL by Andrew Gross, Newsday “Well before Parker Wotherspoon finally made his NHL debut, he and Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield were chatting about their lengthy tenures with the organization’s AHL affiliate in Bridgeport.”
🔗 Islanders dominate Penguins for second straight win by Ethan Sears, New York Post “For the better part of 60 minutes, the Islanders played a relentless, below-the-hashes cycle game that we haven’t seen from them so much recently.”
And we leave you with this ….Shannon Hogan caught up with Aatu Räty’s parents during the second period. Aatu’s Mom and Dad were planning to see their song play for Bridgeport against Hartford. Instead, they got a much better memory to take home.
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