Tuesday night’s game against the St. Louis Blues presented another opportunity for the New York Islanders to continue to build momentum in their push for a playoff spot. By tying a season-high win streak of four games with a 4-2 victory, they did just that. And with their most immediate Eastern Conference competition continuing to struggle, the Islanders once again feel like a team with a future.
After an intense, scoreless first period, a bad turnover high in the offensive zone early in the second sent the Blues in two-on-one on Ilya Sorokin. Alexey Toropchenko blistered a wrist shot past Sorokin, taking the wind out of the UBS Arena crowd. Sloppy play with the puck near their own goalmouth created an easy opportunity for Jordan Kyrou, who didn’t miss, and the Isles were suddenly in a big hole and not looking sharp.
Seemingly just hanging on, the Islanders would shift the momentum when a long outlet pass from Adam Pelech sent Kyle Palmieri in on net. With a strong push past Justin Faulk, Palmieri took the puck all the way across the crease to put it past an over-extended Joel Hofer to get the Islanders on the board. Just over five minutes later, JG Pageau would bury a rebound off of a Sebastian Aho shot to tie the game, and the Islanders were taking over the game.
The goal of the evening came in the third, when Bo Horvat took a pass that Brock Nelson tipped to the middle of the ice, pushed right through former Islander Nick Leddy, shot, then took his own rebound and wrapped it around the far post. Horvat’s strength and determination on that play could not have come at a better time for the Islanders, who need every point they can get over their remaining games. Mat Barzal added an empty netter to secure the win for the Islanders in the final minute, and there would not be another blown lead. The Islanders are alive, perhaps more than alive, given the current state of the Eastern Conference. With little help thought to be coming at the trade deadline, it is up to the players currently on the roster to maintain this level of intensity throughout the remainder of the regular season. If they do, and manage to will themselves into the playoffs, their veteran lineup and top-tier goaltending will make them a much-feared opponent. And Lou Lamoriello will once again look very smart.
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