Good Morning, Islanders Country.
As hockey fans, we wait all of September for October, but once the calendar finally flips over, you’re really waiting for the start of the regular season.
In the first few pre-season games, you’re excited to see your team back on the ice, hear the goal horn blares, and watch the prospects get some action. But by now, you’re ready for the start of the regular season, and with an October unexpectedly without post-season baseball, you're really ready for the games to count.
If you chose the Islanders and Devils game over the first half of the Giants-Seahawks game, you were better off for it and watched 11 goals. It’s not the type of game you’ll see the Islanders play many times this year, but you get the feeling the exception could be when they play the high-flying Devils.
"I just didn't think we had enough structure tonight in certain areas through the neutral zone and in our defensive zone," Head Coach Lane Lambert said. "Some of their top players made some pretty nice plays and we allowed them to make those plays. They're good players and we have to be better."
The Islanders good players made some plays too. Anders Lee was back on the top line and was arguably their best player on Monday night according to Lambert, and that was with Barzal finding the net twice. Also encouraging, was how Pierre Engvall and Brock Nelson’s chemistry continues to carry over.
Coming up, Ilya Sorokin looked sharp before he looked rusty, and Mathew Barzal looked as confident and comfortable as ever on Bo Horvat’s wing. Plus, Simon Holmon squanders an opportunity, Doug Weight is named captain and Brock Nelson getting comfortable wearing a letter.
Let’s dive in.
🏒 IN SHORT: Behind a hat trick from Jesper Bratt, the New Jersey Devils scored four second-period goals in a 6-5 win over the New York Islanders in Newark on Monday night. The Isles jumped out to a 2-0 lead on goals from Mathew Barzal and Pierre Engvall before John Marino scored the Devils’ first goal at 10:02 of the first. Bratt scored a pair of goals in a 1:40 span early in the second to give the Devils the lead. Barzal scored his second of the night 11 seconds into the third, and Anders Lee made it a one-goal game late. Ilya Sorokin allowed five goals on 18 shots over two periods. Akira Schmid made 15 stops for New Jersey and played the full game.
KEY MOMENT(s):
(It’s the pre-season so we’re only showing the good stuff)
🔷 Mathew Barzal showed off his speed, taking a turnover at the redline and then breaking free down the slot and beating Schmid glove side for a 1-0 lead.
🔸 Pierre Engvall adding to the lead, using his speed to beat Luke Hughes, chase down a loose puck on edge and beat Schmid five-hole.
🔹In the third, Bo Horvat showed off his play-making ability with a sweet centering pass onto the stick of Barzal, setting up his second of the night.
3 REACTIONS
❶ "I think he's [Barzal] just actually shooting it. I think that was everybody's knock on him before; he doesn't shoot the puck enough. He's proven what kind of shot he has this preseason. He's just got to continue to keep shooting [...] He's got a lethal shot." - Bo Horvat
❷ “I thought he was pretty good, his mobility, his skating. There were times when potentially he could have moved the puck quicker but you could say that about all our D-men." - Lane Lambert on Calle Odelius
❸ “It’s about what Lane thinks is the best combo and now he’s got us going …We've been playing well together. [Horvat] has been doing a lot of the passing more and I’ve been able to score, so I think the chemistry is there.” - Mathew Barzal
GameScore ImpactScore
⏭ NEXT UP: The Islanders are back on the ice on Thursday night against the Philadelphia Flyers. Face-off is scheduled for 7:00 PM EDT.
◾️ In The Hockey News, Stefan Rosner asks if Simon Holmstrom has squandered his opportunity to be on the Islanders’ top line with some missed opportunities in recent games by missing the net. "It’s just a matter of getting more opportunities and not trying to be too fine, said head coach Lane Lambert. “In terms of that, because a lot of times, when you get that thing on the net, it finds a way in.”
◾️ For Eyes on Isles, Michael Stahurski wonders if Julien Gauthier could earn himself top-six minutes with the uncertain injury status of Kyle Palmieri to start the season. One thing, make that two things Gauthier brings to any line he joins is his 6’4 size and his speed. Per the story, appearing in just 57 games last season, Gauthier registered the fourth most bursts of 22+ MPH, trailing Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and Brayden Point - names synonymous with being some of the best skaters the league has to offer.
2️⃣1️⃣ The NHL Network has been releasing their rankings of the league's top 50 players in recent weeks, a list compiled from input from researchers, producers, and on-air personalities. To date, they've released the list from 50 to 11, with Ilya Sorokin the only Islander making the list at No. 21.
Sorokin is ranked ahead of Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark (46), coming off one the greatest statistical seasons in NHL history, as well as former Vezina finalist Jusse Saros of the Nashville Predators (40) and former Vezina Winner Connor Hellebuyck (36), who has finished in the top three for the award the last three seasons.
Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers came in at No. 18, three spots ahead of Sorokin. Two-time Stanley Cup winner Andrei Vasilevskiy, who will miss the start of the season and be out for at least two months following back surgery, is still the highest-ranked goalie on the list at No. 16.
📚 SOUND SMART: The Isles and Devils combined for 11 goals on just 43 combined shots on Monday night. Ken Appleby who replaced Ilya Sorokin in the third period was the only goaltender to have a save percentage at .800% or better, saving 4 of 5 shots. Sorokin had a save % of .722 and Schmid .750. Ouch.
🎥 ISLES REWIND: On October 2, 2009, Doug Weight was named the 12th captain in franchise history. Weight previously served as an alternate captain the year prior under Bill Guerin before wearing the "C" for two seasons. The future assistant and head coach scored 64 points (13G, 51A) in 107 games for the Islanders from 2008-2011.
📺 Hockey Night in New York: The Islanders preseason has begun and Seany, Stefen, and Ed took the show on the road to Blue Line Deli & Bagels in Huntington to cover the latest storylines as the Isles try to hone in on their opening night roster. Andrew Gross of Newsday stopped in to join the fellas as well as they discussed lineup pairings, Isles standouts, the power play, and plenty more!
🔗 Brock Nelson a favorite to be Islanders’ alternate captain to replace Josh Bailey by Ethan Sears, New York Post “Bailey and Cal Clutterbuck were the two alternates last season, with Anders Lee continuing to wear the C. When one of the alternates was out, however — Clutterbuck spent time injured and Bailey was a healthy scratch for a handful of games — Brock Nelson would don a letter. That makes Nelson a favorite to do so this season, and indeed he has worn an ‘A’ in preseason games so far.”
And we leave you with this ….It’s Brocktober, and Brock Nelson has been wearing the “A” this preseason and would be honored if it carried over to the regular season.
"It'd be an honor. I know we have a few guys here that have been around a long time that have the capability to wear it. I know I'm not the most vocal of guys, but I just try to go out there and be a big part of the team and lead by example."
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