The New York Islanders were bested by the New York Rangers 3-2 in a shootout Saturday afternoon. They went down 1-0 and came back to grab the lead 2-1 before giving up a game-tying goal with just over four minutes to go courtesy of Artemi Panarin. Despite the loss in the shootout, there are a lot of positives to take away from the game.
Staying Hot
With their win, the Rangers have nearly clinched the Presidents’ Trophy. They had an impressive game, dominating on the powerplay and registering a shorthanded goal. They showed why they are at the top of the league’s standings, but the Islanders were not so far behind. Mika Zibenejad dominated at even strength, despite going scoreless. He had multiple good looks around the net, registering 1.18 expected goals, according to Moneypuck.
Related: Who Should Be the Islanders’ Starting Goaltender in the Playoffs?
In addition to Zibenejad, Chris Kreider, Adam Fox, and Panarin all played dominant offensive games, creating many chances for the Rangers. Despite this, they found the net just twice on 43 shots, registering 4.67 expected goals in the 65 minutes of play. Against most goaltenders, they would have found the net four or five times, but not on Ilya Sorokin.
Sorokin dominated, showing why he garnered an eight-year contract extension last summer. He was steady in the net, giving up two goals that were hard to avoid. Braden Schneider’s shorthanded goal came on a bad rebound as a result of poor positioning by the Islanders’ defense, and Panarin’s snipe was a shot no goalie would save. He had a great overtime and ultimately fell short in the shootout. Luckily for the playoff-like Islanders, there are no shootouts in the playoffs, so they can put those struggles behind them.
Playing Playoff-Style Hockey
The atmosphere at Madison Square Garden was second to none, with the game feeling like a playoff game. There were countless chances from each side throughout the game, and both sides had a lot to play for. Heading into the game, fans anticipated there would be fights and dirty hits, but it was played knowing one penalty or misjudgement could be the deciding factor. With just two games to go on the season, the Islanders can anticipate their shorthanded and overtime struggles will be put behind them.
In the playoffs, referees tend to put the whistles away, and overtime is a continuation of even strength. With the Islanders heating up as of late, their special teams have continued to struggle, but their even-strength play has been great. Despite having nearly two less expected goals than the Rangers, trailing 4.67 to 2.76, they were similar at even strength, with the Rangers finishing on top 3.26-2.52. While this is far from ideal, it shows the Islanders are in a good position come playoff time.
A Great Issue to Have
The Islanders have one of the best issues a team can have, and that is deciding between two elite goaltenders. There is no hiding that Sorokin has struggled immensely this season, and Semyon Varlamov has stepped up big as of late, but the team has now found themselves in a predicament regarding who should start. Historically, Varlamov has been better against the Rangers, but with the Round 1 matchup looking incredibly likely to be the Carolina Hurricanes, Sorokin has just boosted his odds.
Heading into the season’s final two games, head coach Patrick Roy will have some tough decisions to make. If he is leaning towards Varlamov, it is likely to see him get the nod in game 81 against the New Jersey Devils with a chance to clinch the third seed in the Metropolitan. If the Islanders do not, he will likely start again in game 82 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, barring a bad game against the Devils. However, suppose Roy goes with Sorokin against the Devils and he plays well. In that case, he will likely have no choice but to continue to start Sorokin, even in the playoffs, despite Varlamov being the main reason the Islanders got to the playoffs at all. For now, it is all hypothetical, but there will be tough decisions for Roy to make that could prove costly.
With the Rangers all but certain to be the first seed in the division, and the Hurricanes likely behind them, the Islanders will face one of the two teams in the first round. With two games to go, the season is on the line regarding their potential playoff matchups.