Rapid Recap: Wahlstrom, Islanders Attack Sharks For Second Straight Win, 5-2

ELMONT, NY– After trailing following the first twenty minutes of play, the New York Islanders turned up the heat as, thanks to a two-goal night by Oliver Wahlstrom, the Islanders defeated the San Jose Sharks by a score of 5-2. The New York Islanders are now 2-1-0 on the young season.

LINES

Lee-Nelson-Beauvillier/Wahsltrom
Parise-Barzal-Palmieri
Bailey-Pageau-Wahlstrom/Beauvillier
Martin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck

Pelech-Pulock
Romanov-Dobson
Salo-Mayfield

Varlamov
Sorokin

SCORING

The San Jose Sharks got on the board first as Nico Sturm hopped on a rebound at 12:50 of the first period. Evgeni Svechnikov and Jaycob Megna were credited with the assists.

The New York Islanders tied the score at one, as Anders Lee deflected an Adam Pelech point shot from below the hash marks at 10:03 of the second period. Pelech and Brock Nelson were credited with the assists on the tying goal.

Zach Parise gave the Islanders their first lead of the night as he got his skate on a Noah Dobson shot at 14:48 of the second period. Dobson and Jean-Gabriel Pageau were credited with the assists.

Following a defensive-zone turnover, Evgeny Svechnikov picked up a loose puck following a Matt Benning shot from the right circle. The goal was scored at 17:10 of the second period.

With less than a minute to play in the second period, Oliver Wahlstrom beat Reimer under the glove from inside the left circle as the Islanders took a 3-2 lead. Brock Nelson was credited with the lone assist following his face-off win.

Wahlstrom scored his second goal of the contest at 5:24 of the third period as he sniped James Reimer blocker side for his second of the contest. Noah Dobson was credited with the lone assist.

Cal Clutterbuck scored an empty-net goal with under three minutes to play in the third as the Islanders took a 5-2 lead.

Wally’s World

In his first game of the season back on Saturday, Oliver Wahlstrom scored on a breakaway to give the Islanders a 3-0 lead over the Anaheim Ducks. On Tuesday, Wahlstrom skated with confidence, carrying the puck on rushes and making moves to create a shooting lane for himself.

If there was no shooting lane, he would pass the puck off.

With less than a minute to play in the second period, Oliver Wahlstrom showed off his shot from inside the left circle as he beat San Jose Sharks netminder James Reimer under the glove for his second goal in as many days.

Wahlström is on FIRE! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/C30sVhiA44

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) October 19, 2022

What Wahlstrom did there was exactly what head coach Lane Lambert is looking for. Wahlstrom is a shooter, and when he has the chance to let the puck go, the Islanders want him to do just that.

Like an infomercial, but wait, there’s more.

Early in the third period, Wahlstrom sniped Reimer high blocker side from the left circle for his second of the contest and his second point of the game.

Wahlstrom X2 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/TPfMZqY2mS

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) October 19, 2022

That’s an elite shot, a confident shot. And his confidence has been something he’s talked about a lot so far since training camp.

“I mean, I’ve always felt like I’ve had confidence,” Wahlstrom said postgame. “I think it’s just being consistent with it and, you know, playing the right way. I think that’s the most important part, and I got great teammates to lean on and talk to and keep it going.”

When the third period began, Wahlstrom found himself on a line with Brock Nelson and Anders Lee.

“Jeez, I was out there for a couple of celebrations with him,” Lee said.  “I mean, the way he ripped those two was great.”

The 22-year-old forward now has four points in two games, with two goals and two assists.

Semyon Varlamov Solid in Season Debut

For New York Islandes goaltender Semyon Varlamov, Tuesday night was his first start of the season. He turned aside 26 of the 28 Sharks shots that came his way and, when the Islanders were down, gave his team the chance the find their game and eventually take over.

Last season, Semyon Varlamov went seven games without a win, but this year he gets win number one in start number one.

“It was very important for me to start season with a win,” Varlamov said. “I feel good overall. Playing the game, I was a little bit nervous, because I haven’t played for a while, an official game, so it was nice to get a win in the first game I played.”

Penalty Kill Remains Perfect

The New York Islanders perfect penalty kill remained perfect. Despite making three trips to the penalty box, the Islanders’ penalty kill remained dominant as they killed off all three chances. They allowed just four total shots, with the Sharks’ middle power play failing to register even one shot on goal.

The Islanders registered one shorthanded goal in the contest.

The penalty kill is now 12 for 12 to start the season, allowing a total of 13 shots.

Turnover Galore, Missing the Net

The New York Islanders were unable to take full control of the game through the first and second periods because they turned the puck over often, as well as missed the net on a majority of chances.

The Islanders turned the puck over 14 times in the contest, with Alexander Romanov leading the way with five.

Despite putting up 46 shots in the contest, the Islanders missed 13 total shots. Six of those misses came in the first period, seven came in the second period, before just one miss in the third.

Fortunately for the Islanders, they hit the net enough and were able to pepper James Reimer and score enough goals to win.

Up Next: The New York Islanders host the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, Oct. 20 for their final game of their season-opening homestand. Puck drop is at 7:30 PM.