Islanders Snap Six-Game Skid, Beat Wild 3-1

ELMONT, N.Y. — The New York Islanders (33-32-10) snapped their six-game losing streak (0-4-2) and defeated the Minnesota Wild (41-29-7) 3-1 on Friday night inside UBS Arena. After an early second-period goal from Mats Zuccarello to put Minnesota up 1-0, the Islanders scored twice in the next 2:20 to put themselves on top 2-1.

First, Casey Cizikas stayed hot and tipped home a point shot. Shortly thereafter, Simon Holmstrom banked one in off a defender for the lead. The Islanders would not relinquish control of the game from that moment onward.

Noah Dobson wired home a one-timer on the power play to give the Islanders a needed buffer to make it 3-1 early in the third period. From there, Minnesota looked like a team at the end of an Eastern road trip. Tired, exhausted, and arguably, giving up.

The Islanders played a smart, simple game and did not give Minnesota much of anything. They didn’t turn the puck over and snapped the six-game skid.

Ilya Sorokin made 27 saves in the win. Filip Gustavsson kept out 24 in defeat.

Slow Start:

For the first 21:42 of the game, the Wild dictated terms. The entire first period went against the Islanders. That’s not to say New York didn’t have some chances. They had one power play in the first period, and it went as well as you’d expect.

That is to say, they didn’t score, nor did they generate anything. Adam Boqvist, a power play specialist and leading power play point getter amongst defensemen since his arrival, was scratched. I don’t think he should be the guy forced to go into the press box due to New York having too many defensemen (nine).

After that power play, Minnesota put their foot on the gas. They received a power play, and if not for Sorokin, they would’ve gone up 1-0. The Wild had four shots on net during that man advantage alone, but none went in.

By the time the first ended, the shots read 11-4 Minnesota. Then, just 102 seconds into the second period (1:42), Zuccarello flicked one off the back of Sorokin’s head and in from below the goal line. With how everything’s gone around the team, nobody would’ve blamed the Islanders if they packed it in.

Instead, they stood up and fought back.

Strong Second Period:

Thirty-six seconds after Zuccarello scored, Cizikas deflected home a Dobson point shot to level things at one. From there, the push continued.

Maxim Tsyplakov, fresh off his turnover that led to Zuccarello’s goal, made a silky move and fed Holmstrom. Holmstrom burst forward and banked one in off Frederik Gaudreau. The two New York goals came just 104 seconds apart. They kept dominating the game.

It didn’t matter that Minnesota received a power play, they killed it with ease. In fact, the score should’ve and could’ve gotten better for New York. Bo Horvat and Anthony DeAngelo both had an open net to fire at, but both failed to even get a shot on goal.

The Islanders outshot Minnesota 13-8 in the second period and it didn’t feel remotely that close.

Third Period Close Out:

A recent trend of blowing leads is a big reason this season has gone the way of the Hindenburg. Tonight, the Islanders were not letting that happen.

Just 2:49 into the third period, Trenin took an obvious high-sticking penalty. It gave the Islanders’ lifeless man advantage the chance to stick a potential dagger into the Wild. For the first time perhaps this entire season, that’s exactly what they did.

DeAngelo walked the line and fed Dobson. Dobson, who had cocked and loaded, blasted it off the post and in. The shot gave Gustavsson absolutely no chance. After that, the Islanders led by two and had just over 16 minutes to preserve the lead to snap their season-long six-game skid.

After that, the Islanders just cruised. Minnesota tried to push, but they didn’t have much. The Islanders handled it all quite nicely, and even drew another late penalty on Gustav Nyquist. That bled the clock down to the final three minutes and change.

Despite a goalie pull, Minnesota still had nothing. They could not put a second puck past Sorokin, and it finished 3-1 for the Islanders.

The Islanders host the Washington Capitals on Sunday afternoon. History will be on the line as Alexander Ovechkin tied Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal record tonight in Washington. He will have the chance to break it inside UBS Arena on Sunday.