This season, the New York Islanders have become an offensive-minded team, and the Carolina Hurricanes, with goaltending becoming a noticeable weakness, are in a similar boat, winning games with their offense. In the Dec. 23 game, it showed. The two teams combined for nine goals on 68 shots, with the Islanders sneaking away with a 5-4 road victory.
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The Islanders were led by a three-goal first period and managed to keep their foot on the gas to secure the victory, something they’ve struggled to do previously. On Nov. 4, the Islanders had a 3-0 lead against the Hurricanes only to lose the game 4-3 in overtime. This time, they beat their division rival with their star players leading the way.
Islanders’ Top Line Stands Out
Anders Lee started the season on the Jean-Gabriel Pageau line, a questionable decision considering the Islanders captain has been a focal point in the offense for years. The decision backfired as he only scored one goal and one assist in his first 15 games played.
The move back to the top line turned Lee’s season around, and the recent game was a reminder of why, as he found open shots on the net and created scoring chances, scoring a goal and two assists. His goal came on a shot that slipped by Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kotchetkov, but he was an impactful skater throughout the night, helping the Islanders’ offense score five goals in the win. He now has 10 goals and five assists on the season, and with two playmakers on his line, he is once again thriving as a finisher.
Lee is finding his rhythm again, while Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal continue to thrive together as dynamic forwards. Against the Hurricanes, the two skaters connected with Barzal providing Horvat with a cross-ice pass, and they ended the night with a goal and three assists to lead the offense. The Hurricanes offense responded throughout the game but with the Islanders top line clicking, they couldn’t keep up and ultimately mount a comeback.
Barzal and Horvat have scored 24 goals and 44 assists this season, and the offensive success goes hand in hand with those two skaters. They have done a remarkable job leading the top line and turning the offense into one of the better ones in the NHL.
Nelson Remains on Pace for Career Year
Lee was the last skater to score 40 goals in a season with the Islanders, as he hit that mark in 2017-18. It seemed like a tall task for Brock Nelson to reach that mark heading into the season, but following the win over the Hurricanes, it looks like a possibility.
Nelson collected the puck just outside the face-off circle and, with a quick turn, sniped the shot to the back of the net for the Islanders’ third goal of the first period. The goal was Nelson’s team-leading 16th of the season, and through 33 games, the 40-goal milestone doesn’t look too far away all of a sudden. He scored 37 in 2021-22 and 36 last season, but this season looks like it will be the one that he remembers as he continues to pile up the goals.
Islanders Defensive Unit Makes a Difference Offensively
Sebastian Aho entered the game with zero goals and only four assists. With an open look on the net in the first period, he shot the puck from the point to score his first goal of the season, fittingly in a game against the other Sebastian Aho (who also scored for all you Aho enthusiasts out there). His goal set the tone for the game as the Islanders, including their defensive unit, were ready to take over this game with their play in the offensive zone.
Mike Reilly only had one goal and four assists heading into the game, albeit in only 12 games played with the Islanders. Barzal found him open at the point, and he blasted a shot to the back of the net to cap off the second period on a high note, with the Islanders boasting a 4-2 lead. With his goal, the defensive unit scored two of the team’s four goals, which was a pleasant surprise considering the unit has struggled on the offensive end of the ice outside of Noah Dobson.
Speaking of Dobson, he added an assist in the game as well, bringing his season total to 29. Dobson not only leads the Islanders in assists this season but has the third-most among defensemen and ranks in the top 10 in the league. In a high-scoring game against a potent offense, the Islanders needed their blue line to make an impact offensively, and it did to help them secure the 5-4 win.
Islanders Depth Disappears
If there is one negative, at least on the offensive end of the ice, the depth didn’t show up. The Islanders saw the top-six score three goals and eight assists. The defensive unit struggled as they allowed the Hurricanes to find the back of the net four times, but they combined for two goals and two assists in the game. The bottom six didn’t register a point and only registered three shots on the net. the depth has stepped up throughout the season, making this game appear more like an outlier and not a trend for the season.
Other Takeaways From the Islanders Win
- Ilya Sorokin had a rough night in the net. In his defense, he saved 36 shots, and the Islanders wouldn’t have won the game without him in the net, but at the same time, he allowed four goals. It’s been a theme throughout the season, and his recent performance was just another difficult one for one of the elite goaltenders in the NHL.
- The power play was absent in his game. It’s been a strength this season, but failed to score despite having three opportunities to do so and looked hapless in the process.
- In the game, the Hurricanes goaltending stood out, once again, for all the wrong reasons. The Islanders only had 28 shots on the net but scored five times, with Kotchetkov displaying the puck or struggling to make an easy save. The goaltending has been a weakness this season, notably with Antti Raanta getting sent down to the American Hockey League (AHL), and the team has yet to find a reliable answer in the net.
What’s Next for the Islanders
The Islanders will have a much-needed break, and with a few days off, the hope is that some of the defensemen can return to the lineup. After that, they will host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Dec. 27 in the first meeting of the season series between the two teams.
The first few months have had rocky moments for the Islanders. They had a seven-game losing streak and blew multiple third-period leads. However, with a 16-8-9 record, the Islanders have the second-best record in the Metropolitan Division. They have their weaknesses but look like one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference this season, and have a roster that can not only reach the playoffs but make a run at the Cup.
