Barzal Torments Hometown Canucks on Way to Islanders 6-2 Victory

The New York Islanders notched their first win of 2023 as they defeated the Vancouver Canucks 6-2 as Mathew Barzal continued to torment his hometown team with a three-point night.

The Islanders are now 22-15-2 on the season and find themselves back in a playoff spot, as the second wild-card team in the East. 

LINES:

Josh Bailey-Mat Barzal-Casey Cizikas
Anders Lee-Brock Nelson-Anthony Beauvillier
Zach Parise-Jean-Gabriel Pageau-Hudson Fasching
Ross Johnston-Aatu Räty-Matt Martin

Parker Wotherspoon-Ryan Pulock
Alexander Romanov-Scott Mayfield
Sebastian Aho-Noah Dobson

Ilya Sorokin
Semyon Varlamov

GOALS:

Bo Horvat gave the Vancouver Canucks a 1-0 lead at 18:23 of the first period as he deflected an Oliver Ekman-Larsson point shot for his 27th goal of the season. Ekman-Larsson and Brock Boeser were credited with the assists.

Aatu Räty scored his second career NHL goal just 2:26 into the second period to tie the contest at one. He finished off an odd-man rush, assisted by Ross Johnston and Matt Martin.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored his ninth goal of the season on the power play to give the Islanders a 2-1 lead at 12:56 of the second period as he buried a rebound following a Ryan Pulock slap shot. Mathew Barzal was credited with the secondary assist.

Mathew Barzal scored his 10th goal of the season at 16:28 of the second as he sniped Spencer Martin glove side to give the Islanders a 3-1 lead. The goal was unassisted.

Horvat scored his second goal of the contest on the power play to cut the Canucks deficit to 3-2. J.T. Miller and Quinn Hughes were credited with the assists on Horvat’s 28th of the season.

Anders Lee scored his 14th goal of the season as he spin-o-Rama sniped Martin glove side to give the Islanders a 4-2 lead just 1:46 into the third period. Brock Nelson was credited with the lone assist.

Casey Cizikas sniped his third goal of the season as he beat Martin glove side with 9:44 to go in the third. Barzal and Parker Wotherspoon were credited with the assists.

That was Parker Wotherspoon’s first career NHL point in front of all his family and friends.

Pageau scored his 10th of the season on the empty net at 17:51 of the third. Cizikas notched the assist.

Another Bad First Period

After a lack of effort against the Seattle Kraken on Sunday, New York Islanders head coach expected his team to come out strong against the Vancouver Canucks.

They did the opposite, relying heavily on netminder Ilya Sorokin in the first period. The Islanders did not connect on simple passe,s nor did they get in on the forecheck, which is their identity.

They allowed a late goal in the first to Bo Horvat due to a lack of awareness by a few players in the slot:

#Isles on Horvat goal: pic.twitter.com/r1qne6XDhC

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) January 4, 2023

Räty Scores 2nd Career Goal

New York Islanders Aatu Räty lit the lamp in his NHL debut back on Dec. 23 against the Florida Panthers. Over the next three games, Räty found his lanes, but it wasn’t until his fifth-career game did he light the lamp again.

He tied the contest in the first period after a sneaky, slick move to fool Canucks netminder Spencer Martin following back door pass by Ross Johnston.

Aatu Raty's making quite the impression for the @NYIslanders. 🔵🟠

The 20-year-old's already got two goals five games into his NHL career. pic.twitter.com/exE1NzSrgb

— NHL (@NHL) January 4, 2023

Barzal Terrorizes Canucks, Extends Goal Streak

New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal has tormented his hometown Vancouver Canucks over his NHL career.

In seven games against Vancouver, Barzal had one goal and seven assists.

But the punishment continued, as Barzal notched three points on Tuesday night, with a goal and two assists.

He assisted on the Islanders 2-1 tally and then scored to give the Islanders a 3-1 lead.

Barzal with the steal and the snipe to make it 3-1 #Isles pic.twitter.com/WG7i87v9KL

— Isles on MSGSN (@IslesMSGN) January 4, 2023

He then made a no-look pass on Casey Cizikas’s 5-2 dagger.

Cizikas helps restock the toy department after the holidays!

And Parker Wotherspoon with his first NHL point! pic.twitter.com/xg7e4yZtWJ

— Isles on MSGSN (@IslesMSGN) January 4, 2023

With that goal, Barzal has goals in four straight for the first time in his NHL career and now has 10 on the season.

UP NEXT: The New York Islanders are in Edmonton to face Connor McDavid and the Oliers on Jan. 5, with puck drop at 9 PM ET.