Last season, the New York Islanders swept the Pittsburgh Penguins in the season series. The four wins were the difference between the two teams in the playoff race as the Islanders (93 points) edged out the Penguins (91 points) for a wild card spot.
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Two matchups into this season, the tables have turned. The Penguins trounced the Islanders on Dec. 27 with a 7-0 victory and on their home ice on New Year’s Eve, they held on for a 3-1 victory. The Penguins still have a lot of ground to make up in the standings yet these wins are adding up and by season’s end, this Metropolitan Division series could make a difference in the playoff picture.
An argument can be made that the Islanders fell flat on their face and this loss raises a lot of concerns within the roster. However, this game was one where the puck wasn’t bouncing their way and they ran into a team and goaltender who had their number.
Islanders Hit A Wall in Nedeljkovic
The Islanders looked lifeless on the offensive end of the ice to start the game. However, they picked up the pace as the game progressed. Ultimately, they generated 38 shots on the net which normally would be enough to help them come back and win a game like this one. The Penguins ended up getting a great start from Alex Nedeljkovic, who is having a resurgence on a one-year deal with the team after struggling the past two seasons with the Detroit Red Wings.
Nedelkovic not only made a surplus of saves but had some remarkable stops that left the Islanders empty-handed. In the first period, they looked poised to even up the score with a handful of one-timer shots but Nedeljkovic stepped up and blanked them even as his mask was falling off.
The Islanders’ offense has been a strength this season, averaging 3.09 goals per game. On occasion, it faces a goaltender who is on their game and essentially shuts them out. They faced one on Wednesday night in Tristan Jarry and now, they’ve faced another with Nedeljkovic eliminating them.
Sorokin Keeps Islanders Close
Ilya Sorokin has had his fair share of rough starts this season, including the recent performance on Dec. 27 where he was pulled from the loss to the Penguins early. He bounced back on Dec. 29 with his 26-save game in a 5-1 Islanders victory. Then he kept the Islanders in a game that could have easily been a lopsided defeat.
The Penguins established an offensive zone presence early in the game and ended up generating 37 shots on the net against Sorokin. He saved 35 shots to keep the Islanders in the game and ultimately cut the deficit to one goal with an unexpected source finding the back of the net in the third period.
Bolduc’s First Goal of the Season
It’s been an invisible season for Samuel Bolduc. The 22-year-old defenseman has played a minimal role on the unit, averaging only 12:38 of ice time, and has been notably absent on the offensive end of the ice. He entered this game with only two assists on the season and despite having the offensive skillset to make a difference, he has yet to do so.
With the Islanders playing with a sense of urgency, Bolduc finally found his opportunity to make a difference. Mathew Barzal centered the puck and it slipped to Bolduc at the point and the young defenseman shot it to the top shelf. It was his first goal of the season and the Islanders’ only goal in a game where the offense fell flat.
The Islanders are starting to see some of the veteran defensemen return to the lineup. With the defense finally returning to full strength, it looks like Bolduc’s role in the lineup will diminish further and he might eventually get sent down to the American Hockey League (AHL). That said, if he starts to impact both ends of the ice, it will be hard to take him out of the lineup.
Islanders’ Power Outage
The power play has been a strength this season, scoring on 23.47 percent of opportunities. With Barzal and Bo Horvat forming a strong connection and Noah Dobson operating things from the point, the unit has gone from a liability a season ago to one of the best in the league. Against the Penguins, they looked hapless and it resulted in the 3-1 loss.
In the first period, the Islanders had a prime opportunity to get back into the game, with Sidney Crosby taking a slashing penalty. They generated four shots on the net but failed to even up the score. In the second period, the Islanders were once again on the man advantage but a lifeless power play left them trailing 2-0 as they went to the third period. In a low-scoring goaltending duel, they needed to take advantage of the two opportunities and they couldn’t, leaving them a step behind against the Penguins and resulting in the defeat.
Other Takeaways From The Islanders’ Loss
- Pierre Engvall was a healthy scratch for the game, a questionable decision by head coach Lane Lambert to say the least. The offense struggled and Hudson Fasching playing a top-six role instead of playing on the third line didn’t help the cause.
- Scott Mayfield returned to the lineup for his first game since the Dec. 11 overtime win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. With the defense struggling this season, the Islanders can use a veteran like Mayfield in the lineup down the stretch.
What’s Next For The Islanders?
The road trip starts to intensify as the Islanders head to Denver to face the Colorado Avalanche on Jan. 2. The Avalanche are one of the best teams in the Western Conference and the NHL as a whole with a 22-11-3 record and they will be a tough matchup for the Islanders. In case that game isn’t tough enough, there is also the Arizona Coyotes on Jan. 4 and the Vegas Golden Knights on Jan. 6, all of which are on the road.
The Islanders have had a great season so far. They have a 17-10-9 record and are in the middle of the Metropolitan Division. However, with the way the division is shaping up, things can change quickly. A tough road trip can see the Islanders fall out of a playoff position and back to the bottom of the standings and it makes the next three games pivotal as the team looks to start 2024 on the right foot.
