Rapid Reaction: Sorokin Leaves After 2 Periods, Islanders Fall 4-1

ELMONT– The New York Islanders stayed with the Tampa Bay Lightning for two periods but ultimately fell 4-1 on Sunday. The Islanders lost both games of their weekend back-to-back situation and are now 28-27-9 on the season.

ISLANDERS LINES:

Lee–Nelson–Beavuillier

Bailey–Pageau–Palmieri

Parise–Barzal–Wahlstrom

Martin–Cizikas–Johnston

Pelech–Pulock

Chara–Dobson

Greene-Hutton

Sorokin

Varlamov

HOW IT HAPPENED

Brock Nelson gave the New York Islanders a 1-0 lead with under two minutes to play in the first period as he beat Tampa Bay Lightning netminder high glove side for his 31st of the season. Adam Pelech was credited with the lone assist.

Victor Hedman ties the contest early in the second period as he skated around Andy Greene and then beat New York islanders nemtinder Ilya Sorokin under the right arm for his 18th of the season. Brayden Point and Vasilevskiy were credited with the assists at 1:08 of the second period.

Alex Killorn gave the Lightning a 2-1 lead, as he beat Sorokin under the blocker following a back-door pass. Anthony Cirelli with the lone assist on Killorn’s 20th of the season at 9:47 of the second period.

Ross Colton buried home a rebound at 9:10 of the third period for his 12th of the season. Mikhail Sergachev with the lone assist on the goal.

Sergachev made it a 4-1 game with just over three minutes to play in regulation as he buried his own rebound for his sixth of the season. Steven Stamkos and Kucherov were credited with the assists at 16:46 of the third period.

Sorokin Leaves After Two Periods

Through two periods of play, New York Islanders netminder Ilya Sorokin had stopped 18 of the 20 shots that came his way. But when the Islanders took the ice for the third period, Semyon Varlamov was in between the pipes.

New York Islanders head coach Barry Trotz said following the game that Ilya Sorokin has an upper-body injury and that he will know more on Monday. Trotz does not have enough information to know if Sorokin will travel with team to Columbus.

Sorokin did make two saves with his head during the game, as that could have been the cause of the injury.

When Life Gives You Lemons

The Tampa Bay Lightning are not a team that you want to give chances to. When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. When the Islanders make mistakes, the Lightning make them pay.

The Lightning only scored three goals in the contest. The first came while on the power play as Kyle Palmieri took an offensive-zone penalty to negate the Islanders power play. Victor Hedman, with ease, walked around Andy Greene and scored on Ilya Sorokin. The second came off an Anthony Beauvillier turnover which led to an odd-man rush that was finished off by Alex Killorn.

And the third came after a strong save by Semyon Varlamov, but the Islanders turned the puck over in the slot and Ross Colton scored shortly after.

The Islanders, who had kept it close to that point, failed to muster much after that third goal.

Pelech Reaches 20 Assists

New York Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech is known for his defensive game. The most goals he has scored in a season is five, but he did hit an offensive milestone in the game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

On Nelson’s goal, Pelech recorded his 20th of the season, the first time he’s reached that number in his nine seasons in the NHL.

Brock Nelson goes top 🧀 to open the scoring #NHLonTNT pic.twitter.com/yRl28iacm1

— NHLonTNT (@NHL_On_TNT) March 27, 2022

Goals Keep Coming For Nelson

After reaching a career-high with 30 goals in the 6-3 loss to the Boston Bruins on Saturday, the hunt for 40 continued Sunday against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

And before you can get to 40, you need 31. Brock Nelson got his 31st of the season late in the first period to give the Islanders a 1-0 lead.

Defenseman Adam Pelech made a strong play as he alley-ooped a pass to Brock Nelson, which led to an odd-man rush. Nelson, with a shot lane availabile, made no mistake as he fired the puck in the top-right corner of the net.

📁Islanders Goals
└📁2021-22 Season
└📁BNelson29
└NelsonGoal31.Mp4 pic.twitter.com/Oqniu3C88f

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) March 27, 2022

It took Nelson 11 games to go from 20 goals to 30 goals. He is now nine away with 17 game to play in the regular season.

Hutton Back Up & In

Due to Sebastian Aho being banged up, the New York Islanders recalled 26-year old defenseman Grant Hutton from the Bridgeport Islanders. Hutton had been dominating in the NHL, with goals in three straight contests. With the versatility of defenseman Andy Greene, who can play the left or the right side, Hutton drew in alongside him against Tampa.

In the game, Hutton had no shots, a hit, and was a -1 in 16:56 TOI.

When Hutton was up earlier in the season, a five-game stretch while the Islanders went through COVID-19 hell, Hutton did not stand out, which was a good thing. He was strong positionally and had a few shots on goal. If Sebastian Aho cannot play on Tuesday, Hutton will likely get another chance.

WHAT’S NEXT: The New York Islanders are in Columbus to face the Blue Jackets Tuesday at 7:00 PM