New York Islanders

Rapid Recap: Sorokin, Islanders Stifle Rangers, Win 3-1

Published

2 years ago

October 8, 2022

ELMONT, NY–The New York Islanders finished off their preseason with a 3-1 win over the rival New York Rangers, their fourth straight preseason win. After a slow start by the Islanders, but a strong start by Ilya Sorokin, the Islanders were able to get out to a 3-0 lead, the three-goal output being good enough for the win.

Here’s your Rapid Recap:

GAME LINES:

Lee-Nelson-Beauvillier
Parise-Barzal-Palmieri
Bellows-Pageau-Bailey
Martin-Cizikas-Johnston

Pelech-Pulock
Romanov-Dobson
Salo-Aho

Sorokin
Varlamov

HOW IT HAPPENED:

Period 1:

Kieffer Bellows gave the New York Islanders a 1-0 lead at 9:06 of the first period as Sebastian Aho found him wide open Bellows into the wide-open frame as New York Rangers Igor Shesterkin was caught out of position. Aho was credited with the lone assist.

Mathew Barzal gave the Islanders a 2-0 lead at 16:16 of the first period as he cut to the net from the left corner and beat Igor Shesterkin off the glove-side post and in. Josh Bailey was credited with the lone assist.

Period 3:

Zach Parise gave the Islanders a 3-0 while on the power play at 4:28 of the third period. Anthony Beauvillier sent the puck to Josh Bailey inside the right circle, and then Bailey one-timed the puck to Parise, who was all alone in front. Parise stopped the puck before quickly depositing it into the open frame.

Kaapo Kakko sniped New York Islanders netminder Ilya Sorokin from the left circle, as the shot beat him over the blocker side shoulder at 6:50 of the third period. The goal was assisted by Braden Schneider.

Takeaways

In the first period, the story was Ilya Sorokin early as the New York Islanders came out flat yet again. Missed coverages and sloppy transitions allowed the Rangers to have prime chances, but Sorokin stepped up and made the save.

He stopped all eight Rangers shots that came his way, many that were not of the easy variety. One of his better saves came on an Artemi Panarin slap shot, where Sorokin had to go into the splits to get his blocker on the shot.

In the second period, Sorokin continued his dominant performance, stopping all 12 shots he faced.

Sorokin did allow a goal in the third period, a perfect shot by Rangers forward Kaapo Kakko after an Islander lost his man.

Sorokin finished the night with a .966 SV%, as he stopped 28 of 29.

Kieffer Bellows had a strong finish to his preseason, as he played a part in the Islanders’ first two goals. Besides scoring the first one, Bellows took a hit in the neutral zone after dumping the puck in. Josh Bailey went in on the forecheck before Barzal scored the Islanders’ second contest.

Bailey on the forecheck and Barzal with the wrister 2-0 #Isles pic.twitter.com/2UytZMSfSj

— Isles on MSGSN (@IslesMSGN) October 8, 2022

Bellows finished the night with one goal on two shots, along with three hits in 12:18 minutes.

Sebastian Aho stood out for all the right reasons on Saturday night. Not only was he solid in his own zone, which is his weakness, he made a heck of a pass to Bellows to get the Islanders on the board.