This is a good time to take a step back and appreciate what the New York Islanders have done on their six-game homestand. They’ve gone 4-0-1 and their Dec. 13, 4-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks, which came down to the wire, gave them their fourth win in a row.
Related: 5 Takeaways From Islanders’ 4-3 Win vs Maple Leafs
Suddenly, the Islanders are 14-7-7 and not only separating themselves from the pack with a firm hold on second place in the Metropolitan Division but also gaining ground on the New York Rangers, trailing them by only four points. The recent win wasn’t pretty and was far from the best performance during this homestand, yet they got the job done against a pesky Ducks team. To make the win even better, the stars stepped up when the team needed them the most.
Holmstrom Scores His Fourth Shorthanded Goal Of The Season
There’s something about playing shorthanded that brings out the best in Simon Holmstrom. When the Islanders go down a skater, he shifts into another gear and emerges as an elite scorer. In a way, it’s frustrating since he can find the back of the net in five-on-five play but struggles to do so yet his ability to score when the team is on the penalty kill is a unique card the Islanders can play.
Late in the game with the Islanders killing off their second penalty of the game, Holmstrom carried the puck into the offensive zone off of a turnover and looked for a shooting lane. He found it and sniped the puck past Ducks’ goaltender John Gibson, stunning the UBS Arena crowd and giving the Islanders a 4-3 lead with only a minute to play to seal the victory.
The goal was Holmstrom’s eighth of the season and his fourth on the penalty kill. Before the season, it would be crazy to think that Holmstrom, who struggled last season, would have the fifth-most goals on the team and it would’ve been even crazier to think he’d lead the league in shorthanded goals. In his second season in the NHL, he’s both found a role on the forward unit and given the Islanders a distinct edge. Opponents must keep their heads up when they have a power play to avoid Holmstrom beating them the other way.
Islanders’ Power Play Wakes Up Late
The Islanders started the game lifeless on the power play and it was a bit shocking. It has become a strength this season, scoring on 24.32 percent of opportunities to help turn the offense into one of the best in the league. Through the first two periods of play, the unit failed to score despite two chances to do so and the Islanders looking hapless on the man-advantage was disappointing, to say the least.
Then came the power play in the third period and the Islanders got to work. Noah Dobson kept the puck in the offensive zone and found Mathew Barzal with a cross-ice pass. Barzal being a pass-first player centered the puck to Bo Horvat who passed the puck back and with a quick shot, the Islanders tied up the game.
Barzal isn’t known for being a shooter but when he’s needed to be this season, he’s stepped up to add another dimension to the offense. The goal on the power play was his 10th of the season which is tied with Horvat for second-most on the team. This season, Barzal’s becoming the well-rounded forward many expected him to be when he signed an eight-year extension in the 2022 offseason and his versatility has raised the ceiling of the offense and the Islanders as a whole.
The Nelson-Palmieri Connection Strikes Again
In the Dec. 11 win, the Brock Nelson line led the way, combining for two goals and two assists in a 4-3 overtime win. Against the Ducks, Nelson and Palmieri once again played a big role in the offense with their goal in the second period that put the Islanders on the scoreboard after a scoreless first period.
Nelson controlled the puck behind the net and found Palmieri open by the face-off circle. Palmieri, who has made his greatest impact as a shooter with the Islanders, fired the puck past Gibson for his ninth goal of the season while Nelson added his 11th assist in the process.
The Barzal-Horvat connection has garnered most of the attention this season and understandably so. The two skaters have combined for 20 goals and 36 assists to lead the offense. However, the Nelson-Palmieri duo has also played a big role for the Islanders as they fuel the second line.
Varlamov’s Mixed Bag Start
Ilya Sorokin was given the rare night off and Semyon Varlamov looked to build off a strong start where he saved 32 shots in the Dec. 7, 7-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Ducks have struggled on the offensive end of the ice, scoring only 2.59 goals per game, and while Varlamov earned the win, it was far from a great night in the net for the veteran backup.
Varlamov allowed three goals and only stopped 21 shots with the defensive unit stepping up for the first time in a long time. To be fair, all three goals came off of lucky bounces, and the Ducks in shock noticed they had a goal. That said, Varlamov would want all three back and this was a game where he could have closed it out with a lights-out performance but he didn’t.
Other Takeaways From The Islanders’ Win
- Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck connected for a goal and once again, the Islanders’ fourth line helped put the offense over the top. The goal was the second for Cizikas in as many games and his fifth of the season.
- Dobson had two assists in the game and now has 24 on the season. That’s fourth-most among defensemen in the NHL and he’s continuing to make his mark as one of best two-way defensemen in the league.
- Sebastian Aho returned to the lineup and it’s a promising sign for the defense. The unit has been ravaged by injuries this season and with Aho’s return, it looks like they are starting to overcome the injury bug.
What’s Next For The Islanders
The Islanders wrap up the homestand on Friday night against the Boston Bruins who are looking to bounce back from a 2-1 overtime loss on Dec. 13 to the New Jersey Devils. The Bruins at 18-5-4 have the best record in the Eastern Conference and they’ve already defeated the Islanders earlier in the season with a 5-2 stomping on Nov. 9 at TD Garden.
The six-game homestand has been everything the Islanders could have asked for. In two weeks, they’ve not only turned their season around, they’ve become one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. Now, the question is if they can keep it up. The Islanders’ season has had plenty of highs and lows and the hope is that they don’t fall into a slump once this hot streak ends.