Just when the New York Islanders season looked over and there was no chance they’d make the playoffs, they won back-to-back games, on the road nonetheless. They defeated the Dallas Stars on Feb. 26 with a 3-2 overtime victory and then beat the Detroit Red Wings in a 5-3 game on Feb. 29 that came down to the final minute. Aside from the Pierre Engvall empty-net goal in the game against the Red Wings, the two wins were vintage Islanders victories and fit in with the surplus of dramatic wins this team has had this season.
Related: Islanders Need Elite Goaltending From Sorokin To Have Success
The regular cast of characters showed up for both victories. The newly-formed top line consisting of Mathew Barzal, Bo Horvat, and Brock Nelson combined for four goals and two assists to lead the offense. They’ve carried the Islanders all season and the recent stretch has been no exception. The recent stretch has also seen some of the players who have gone under the radar recently but have played a significant role in keeping this team in the playoff hunt.
Ilya Sorokin
The entire season has been a reminder that numbers can be deceiving, especially for a goaltender like Ilya Sorokin. He’ll keep games close and give the Islanders a chance to win each game. Then the team unravels and he ends up on the losing end of a game where he allowed three or more goals. Sorokin’s put together a great performance in the net and even without the great numbers, he’s made some magnificent saves to give the Islanders a chance to win.
The recent stretch is no exception. Sorokin saved 30 of the 32 shots he faced against the Stars, a team that averages 3.54 goals per game. In the recent game, he only made 23 saves but with the Islanders clinging to a 4-3 lead late in the third period, he stepped up and blanked the opposition to allow a team that has struggled to close out games to come away with a regulation win.
Sorokin isn’t having lights-out performances like he had a season ago that made him a Vezina Trophy finalist. He has still proven that he is an elite goaltender and that he can help turn the Islanders into a playoff team. He carried the team into the playoffs last season and he’s once again being asked to help propel them in the final few months of the season. All the spotlight has been on the forwards, specifically the top line, yet Sorokin continues to put together strong performances to allow this team to win games they would lose otherwise.
Pierre Engvall
It’s been a tough season for Pierre Engvall. He signed a seven-year contract this season hoping to become an integral part of the top six. His speed and quick release from the wing made him a great fit for the Islanders. Engvall’s struggled to find a role regardless of the line he’s on. After scoring 17 goals last season, including five in 18 games after the trade deadline, he’s only found the back of the net seven times this season.
Suddenly, he’s a key part of the forward unit with the new look allowing him to thrive. Playing alongside Casey Cizikas and Simon Holmstrom, he’s become the primary playmaker and his passing has stood out. He had an assist in the 3-2 win over the Stars and in the game against the Red Wings, he did something no other Islander has done this season. Engvall scored an empty-net goal. The recent turnaround gives the team life and has helped the offense turn a corner.
Kyle MacLean
Kyle MacLean wasn’t the prospect Islanders fans anticipated the team would call up from the American Hockey League (AHL). William Dufour and Matthew Maggio are the two young scorers while Ruslan Iskhakov is the leading scorer and most complete offensive player on the Bridgeport Islanders. MacLean’s best attributes fit the bill for what the team needs. He’s a two-way player and the 24-year-old prospect is more NHL-ready than most skaters in the pipeline, making him an ideal fourth-line center.
The recent games have been MacLean’s best yet. Even in a limited role, averaging only 8:53 of ice time, he’s stepped up on both ends of the ice. His goal against the Stars allowed the Islanders to pull away with a victory and his checking presence particularly has helped limit opposing offenses from finding open shots on the net. He has earned a place in the forward unit and the new lineup allows him to remain a key part of the team down the stretch.
Other Islanders Stepping Up Recently
The Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock duo hasn’t been the same this season. Both defensemen have lost a step and injuries have kept them from playing at a high level. The recent games have seen the two skaters stepping up and contributing in all facets of the game. Pelech scored the overtime-winning goal on Feb. 20 against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 5-4 victory while Pulock scored a goal and added an assist in the recent game against the Stars. More importantly, the two have played gap-sound defense and have limited offenses from constantly finding the back of the net, something that has been commonplace this season.
Cizikas in a third-line role has also been playing well. He’s remained the great forechecker and a defensive forward but has also started to create more offense. In the past two games, he has a goal and two assists and has helped Engvall and Holmstrom find open shots on the wing.
The Islanders needed their depth players to step up and in the recent stretch, they’ve done just that. The top line, while playing at a high level, can only do so much and the rest of the roster needs to play well if this team hopes to make the playoffs. The result has been a team that remains alive in the playoff race in the Eastern Conference.
