Rapid Reaction: Islanders Start Slow, Fail Sorokin, Lose 4-3 to Wild

ELMONT— The New York Islanders were defeated by the Minnesota Wild on Sunday night by a score of 4-3. The Islanders are now 15-16-6, with an 8-9-3 record at UBS Arena.

How it Happened

The Minnesota Wild took a 1-0 early, as forward Brandon Duhaime jumped on a loose puck in the crease less than four minutes into the contest following a misplay by New York Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson. Joel Eriksson Ek and Matt Dumba were credited with the assists on Duhaime’s fifth of the season.

Joel Eriksson Ek made it 2-0 Wild, as on the power play, as his “no-look” shot beat Ilya Sorokin under the glove with 4:39 to go in the first period, as the puck deflected off of Adam Pelech’s stick. Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy were credited with the assists on Eriksson Ek’s 14th of the season.

Brock Nelson scored to cut the New York Islanders deficit to 2-1, as he beat Minnesota Wild netminder Kaapo Kahkonen far side with just over six minutes to play in the first period. His 14th of the season was assisted by Robin Salo and Adam Pelech.

Matt Boldy made it 3-1 Wild as he deflected a Victor Rask wrist shot from the slot under the blocker of Sorokin less than three minutes into the third period. Rask and Kevin Fiala were credited with the assists on Boldy’s fourth of the season.

Ross Johnston made it a 3-2 game as off a steal, he beat Kahkonen blocker side on a breakaway with just over four minutes played in the second. The goal was unassisted.

Kirill Kaprizov scored his 18th of the season to make it a 4-2 contest with 8:33 to go in the third period as his deflection beat Sorokin blocker side. Dumba and Jonas Brodin were credited with the assist.

Oliver Wahlstrom, on the power play, made it a 4-3 game as he dove headfirst to chip a loose puck into the Wild net. His ninth of the season with four minutes to play in the third was assisted by Anders Lee and Noah Dobson.

Failure to Protect the Front of Net Sinks Islanders

The New York Islanders did a particularly poor job at helping out their netminder Ilya Sorokin tonight. Out of the four goals the Minnesota Wild scored, three were deflected on their way to Sorokin. The opening tally, the only shot not deflected, came off a deflected pass by Noah Dobson.

Deflections are one thing, but deflections in the slow slot give goaltenders very little time to react.

The third goal that Sorokin allowed was from a shot in the high slot that was redirected in the low slot.

Just a Boldy move 😏#mnwild pic.twitter.com/rhRhUjMi5g

— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) January 31, 2022

Not much a goaltender can do on a shot like this. And plays like this happened all night long.

Johnston Was Ready and Waiting

It had been 17 days since New York Islanders forward Ross Johnston played in a game. Following a contest against the New Jersey Devils on Jan. 13, Johnston received a three-game suspension for a hit to the head on New Jersey Devils’ forward A.J. Greer.

After serving his suspension, Johnston had been a healthy scratch for the previous four contests, as the Islanders’ fourth line caught fire, with Matt Martin back in the mix.

Despite skating with the extras at Sunday’s morning skate, he found himself in the lineup as Casey Cizikas was sick.

He was ready and waiting.

Despite being a pest from the get-go, Johnston scored the Islanders’ second goal of the contest.

Johnston all alone… GOAL. pic.twitter.com/mu9lnvEKXP

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) January 31, 2022

That was his first goal in 32 days, as he last scored on Dec. 27, 2019, against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Johnston ended the contest with a goal, one shot, two hits in 11:38 TOI.

Slow Start Yet Again

For the second time in the last three contests, the New York Islanders allowed their opponent to score under four minutes into the game. A misplay by Noah Dobson allowed the Minnesota Wild an easy tap-in. The Islanders started the contest very sloppy, as they have against stronger competition all season long.

Despite outshooting the Wild 11-10 in the first period, the Islanders were chasing two after two defensive-zone mistakes.

The Islanders did turn their game around in the second, as they outshot the Wild 14-6, as they allowed another goal less than three minutes into the middle frame. But the Islanders made it a one-goal game yet again, a minute and a half later.

Another goal allowed in the third, but another goal late made it a one-goal game. But the Islanders could not come all the way back.

For a team that struggles to score, going down early, and often, is a significant issue.

Postgame Quotes:

“We’ve played well and if we play that the whole game, take away the first three or four minutes down those two goals, it’s a pretty good hockey game and you don’t have to chase it too, too much.”—Ross Johnston

“Went into another hole tonight. I like the 50 minutes after that, but we got to play a full sixty. Against a good team like that, you can’t come out slow.”—Scott Mayfield

“We played a pretty good game. We play like that you are probably going to win more than you lose. Tonight we weren’t able to. A little bit of a slow start and that was the difference.”—Brock Nelson

I think we did a pretty good job to the neutral zone against a very good team that really can tear you apart through the neutral zone. I think we did a really good job there. Defensively, they really didn’t get much and they got a couple of blocks. I thought we did a really good job you know containing you know especially their top line…we deserve the point, I think we really did and I said that last game as well. But it’s not coming easy for us. And they’re sort of ending up a little bit easy for the opponents right now.”—Barry Trotz

Game Notes: 

The New York Islanders registered a season-high 43 shots on goal in the loss to the Minnesota Wild.

The New York Islanders announced that forward Casey Cizikas was held out of the lineup due to a non-COVID sickness.

Ross Johnston skated Sunday night for the first time since Jan. 13 against the New Jersey Devils. He was suspended three games and after serving the suspension has been a healthy scratch.

Kyle Palmieri skated in his second-straight contest, with Kieffer Bellows a healthy scratch two games in a row.

Ryan Pulock (LTIR) was back on the practice ice Sunday morning, after making his return to practice Thursday morning.

Up Next: The New York Islanders will host the Ottawa Senators on Feb. 1 at UBS Arena.