Good things come to those who wait. The New York Islanders were one of the last teams to start their season with their opening night game taking place on Oct. 14, four days after the season began, but they rewarded their fans. Against a Buffalo Sabres team eager to bounce back from a 5-1 loss to the New York Rangers on Oct. 12, the Islanders stepped up in front of the home crowd at USB Arena and secured a 3-2 victory.
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The Islanders haven’t won on opening night since the start of the 2020-21 season when they defeated the Rangers 4-0. To start this season, they looked a lot like a team that can contend with the best in the Eastern Conference. While the performance wasn’t a great one from the Islanders, it was a reminder of how they can and will win games this season. They held on with their defense shutting the Sabres down and the offense was led by the team’s best skater.
Brock Nelson’s Big Game
The opening night game was Brock Nelson’s first as an alternate captain, and he didn’t disappoint. He scored a goal and added an assist to earn the first star of the game and lead the Islanders to the 3-2 victory. Last season, it took him nine games to finally find the back of the net, and he ended the season with 36 goals. With a goal in the first game, a career year might be in the works for the forward who turns 32 on Sunday, Oct. 15.
The first goal was one that the fans have seen countless times and has been a vintage part of Nelson’s skill set. He collected the puck off of a turnover and created a shooting lane. With Sabres’ goaltender Devon Levi being the only obstacle between him and the net, he sniped the puck past to the glove side and into the goal to put the Islanders ahead early in the first period.
The two-point night, with one goal and one assist, showed how Nelson is capable of both setting up scoring chances and finding the back of the net himself. His assist came off of a rebound where he sent the puck to the goal and linemate Kyle Palmieri deflected it in, but nonetheless, he helped set it up. On a team that lacks versatility, especially on the offensive end of the ice, Nelson not only helps out the offense in a variety of ways but he carries it, as he did in the game against the Sabres.
Sorokin Closes Out The Game
The Sabres trailed 2-0 after the first period, and they played the final 40 minutes with a sense of urgency. A high-powered offense was pressing and desperate to come back and win the game. Fortunately for the Islanders, goaltender Ilya Sorokin was sharp and played at a high level. He saved 25 of the 27 shots he faced, and the two goals he allowed came off of costly mistakes from the defense.
In a game where the opposition was playing with a sense of urgency, Sorokin shut them down. Sure, the Sabres tied the game early in the third period, but he sealed the victory, especially with his strong play in the final minutes. With four minutes left in the game and the Islanders holding a 3-2 lead, the Sabres generated four shots on the net, and Sorokin stopped them to secure the opening night victory.
After finishing last season as a Vezina Trophy finalist, Sorokin is hoping to take the next step. The opening night game was the ideal start for his campaign to win the award and for the Islanders, a reminder of the value of elite goaltending. In a game where they held a lead late, they knew they could easily seal the win with an elite goaltender in the net.
Islanders Blue Line Fueling The Offense
The Islanders’ second goal of the game was only possible because of Ryan Pulock’s play from the point. He gathered the loose puck and flipped it on the net to force Levi to make a quick save. The shot provided a great rebound for Nelson and the Islanders scored their second goal of the first period on a second-chance opportunity.
In the third period with the game on the line, Adam Pelech helped create the game-winning goal. He shot the puck from the blue line, and Casey Cizikas deflected it to the back of the net. Pelech isn’t known for his shot, but with the Islanders eager to regain the lead and only 6:20 left to do so, he fired the puck on the net to help out an offense that looked flat. The goal was the team’s first since the first period, and it gave the Islanders a lead that they would hold on to for the rest of the game.
The Islanders have one of the best defensive units in the NHL, but the area it must improve is in the offensive zone. In the 3-2 victory over the Sabres, the unit showed how it could make a difference and help out the offense. Good things happen when the puck is put on the net, and the defensemen did just that to help fuel the victory. Scott Mayfield, Noah Dobson, and Alexander Romanov combined for six shots on the goal while Pelech and Pulock added two assists to the offense. With the defense opening up the offense from the point, the Islanders will remain a tough team to stop throughout the season.
Lee Moved to the Pageau Line
The biggest takeaway from a lineup standpoint was head coach Lane Lambert’s decision to move Anders Lee to the Jean-Gabriel Pageau-led line. The decision at first glance is a wise one. It balances out the forward unit and allows Pageau, a pass-first skater, to find Lee, the team’s best finisher. However, against the Sabres, the line combination backfired.
The top line, led by Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal, created plenty of scoring chances in the game, but they were struggling to finish them. Holmstrom, who played the wing on the top line, was a non-factor and failed to contribute to the offense with zero shots on the goal. The line needed a finisher like Lee to take advantage of the puck movement and the opportunities that were available. Instead, the Islanders couldn’t find the back of the net when their best skaters were on the ice.
Holmstrom is still acclimating to the NHL level, and his performance showed the gap between him and the rest of the skaters on the ice. The question is how long the Islanders can keep him on the top line when a veteran like Lee is on the forward unit and more qualified to play alongside Barzal and Horvat. Lee is the final piece for the top line that showed flashes in the opening night game but failed to find the back of the net.
Other Takeaways From the Islanders Win
- The top line created plenty of scoring chances with Horvat generating eight shots on the net while Barzal added three to the offense. However, Levi was on his mark and shut them down. While the duo didn’t find the back of the net, the opening night game showed that things might be different this season and the two skaters are forming a strong connection.
- The fourth line made a significant impact in this game. Cizikas, Cal Clutterbuck, and Matt Martin combined for a goal, an assist, and 12 hits as they imposed their will against the Sabres skaters throughout the game. The fourth line has started to show its age in recent seasons, but in the opening night game, they looked like the line that has been integral to the team’s success in previous seasons.
- The power play struggled, failing to score in all three opportunities. After the unit was a liability last season, the hope was that things would improve this season. So far, that hasn’t been the case, and the Islanders continuing to struggle on the man advantage will eventually backfire.
What’s Next for the Islanders?
The Islanders have a few days off before they host the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday, Oct. 17. The Coyotes have been one of the worst teams in the NHL in recent seasons, but this season, they look ready to compete and will be a tough team to face. They defeated the New Jersey Devils 4-3 on Oct. 13 and with a young core, they will give the Islanders problems.
The opening night win has the Islanders’ season starting out on the right foot. They start the season in the win column and with consecutive home games coming up, they can pile up the wins, something they must do to remain near the top of the Metropolitan Division.
