Islanders Massacre Lowly Predators 7-4; Sorokin Scores

ELMONT, N.Y. — The New York Islanders (27-25-7) buried the Nashville Predators (21-30-7) 6-4 on Saturday afternoon in UBS Arena. The Islanders started off hot, striking just 2:37 into the game courtesy of Jean-Gabriel Pageau. By the end of the first period, the Islanders led 3-0 and outshot the Predators 19-3.

It was a decidedly one-sided affair in UBS Arena. The Predators pushed a bit in the second period, but the Islanders slammed the door each time they tried forcing their way into the game. Brock Nelson struck twice while linemate Kyle Palmieri scored for a second straight game and fifth time in six games. Adam Boqvist and Simon Holmstrom recorded two assists while Bo Horvat scored the third goal in the first period.

Ilya Sorokin denied 23 in the win. Oh, and he scored his first-ever NHL goal with a blocker save that went all the way around and into the vacant cage.

Juuse Saros kept out 29 in defeat.

First Period:

The game started fast for the Islanders. Hudson Fasching established his forecheck extremely well, throwing a hit that directly led to Pageau’s goal. On the play itself, Boqvist made a great play to keep the puck in the zone. He slung it around the boards, where Casey Cizikas eventually found a wide-open Pageau, who sniped it home.

Then, Nashville had their first chance of the game. The puck rattled around before it found its way to the backdoor. The Predators had Sorokin dead to rights after an unbelievable pass by Ryan O’Reilly. Unfortunately for Nashville, Jonathan Marchessault accidentally blocked the shot from going in.

Shortly after, Andreas Englund took a blatant crosscheck. It took 10 seconds for the Islanders’ man advantage to strike. Boqvist, who looked great all game, sent a hard shot that Palmieri deflected off himself. The puck dropped right to Palmieri’s stick, and he chipped it over Saros and in for a 2-0 lead. The goal marked NY’s first power-play goal in seven games. Only the second in 13.

From there, it became a massacre. Anthony Duclair had a breakaway denied. The fourth line drew a penalty. Nashville’s only other chance in the first period came courtesy of old friend Kieffer Bellows. Bellows sent a hard wrister that squeaked past Sorokin, but Noah Dobson cleared it out from behind his goaltender.

Nashville almost escaped, only down 2-0. Then, Luke Schenn made an atrocious turnover under duress from Duclair. After receiving the puck from Schenn, Horvat sent a cross-ice pass to Anders Lee. Lee sent a hard, low shot to the far pad of Saros. The rebound kicked right to Horvat, who made it 3-0 with 29 seconds left in the period. Shots finished 19-3 in the dominant period.

Second Period:

Nashville came out for the second period and played angrily. They struck just 1:03 into the period after Colton Sissons stripped Anthony DeAngelo for a breakaway. With Alexander Romanov draped onto him, Sissons smacked a backhander up and over Sorokin with one hand on his stick.

A minute later, Cizikas took a penalty, and it felt as if the entire building sucked in their breath. However, one Holmstrom neutral-zone steal later, and the Islanders took a 4-1 lead. Holmstrom had a two-on-one with Nelson and slid it to the veteran for a one-timed shorthanded goal.

Still, the Predators hadn’t quite given up. 2:20 after the Nelson strike, Marc Del Gaizo scored his first NHL goal. Sissons and Gaizo had a great exchange, with Sissons finding his man from behind the net, 4-2.

After that, the game evened out. Cizikas took a second penalty, allowing Nashville to close the gap to just one goal. Instead, Filip Forsberg rang iron, and the Islanders got the kill. Late in the period, Holmstrom fed Romanov at the point. Romanov walked down and fed Nelson on the backdoor, who put it home for a 5-2 lead. Nashville challenged for goalie interference on Palmieri, but it wasn’t close to getting overturned.

The Islanders took that lead to the third period.

Third Period:

The Islanders came out and took a business-like approach to the third period. They allowed the Predators some time and space but kept a lot of early chances to the outside.

5:21 into the third, Fasching stole a puck in the offensive zone. He sent a hard, low shot that Saros stopped, but Cizikas found the loose change and stuffed it home. The goal made it 6-3, marking Fasching’s first point of the season in his 21st game. With his play today, he earned that point.

However, just 30 seconds later, Del Gaizo sent a hard shot toward Sorokin from the blue line. Cole Smith deflected it past Sorokin after the puck went through heavy traffic. That took the score to 6-3.

Just past the midway point, Nelson had a chance for a hat trick. Holmstrom’s shot leaked through Saros, but when Nelson went to swipe it home, Nick Blankenburg swiped it away from the blue paint. Close, but no cigar for Nelson. Holmstrom tried his best to get him another chance shorthanded late, but his passing up of a sure goal came up empty.

Nashville did apply late pressure, but nothing felt in danger. Heck, they even scored one with 1:05 left. Smith’s second of the game on a late man advantage. In reality, the Islanders won the game in the first period with their dominant start. Nashville sometimes tried to get back into it, but the Islanders weren’t allowing it today. They took the 6-3 win home.

Then, Ilya Sorokin scored his first ever goal in a highlight-reel moment with his blocker.