Three Takeaways from New York Islanders Shutout Win Over Flyers

The New York Islanders topped the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0 in their fourth exhibition game of the year. Goals from Anthony Beauvillier, Anders Lee and Josh Bailey were New York’s three goal scorers, and Cory Schneider recorded a 24 save shutout.

The Islanders are nearly a week away from the start of the season and it is getting down to crunch time for the organization to be prepared for the year ahead.  Here are a few takeaways from the preseason victory over Philadelphia.

Cory Schneider Finally Played the Way He Needed to

If Semyon Varlamov isn’t ready to go for the start of the season then Cory Schneider will need to be prepared to back up Ilya Sorokin. In his first few appearances during the preseason, Schneider hasn’t looked 100% comfortable in the net. In the last outing, he allowed two goals in a so-so performance against the New Jersey Devils.

This time around Schneider appeared to settle into the game as the night progressed and made a highlight-reel save in the third period on Scott Laughton in the third period. Schneider said afterward that he was only expecting to play the first two periods, but head coach Barry Trotz opted to keep him in net for the third.

“It’s good to get the work for me,” Schneider said. “Like I said, every minute, every period counts. I haven’t played in so long, so I honestly felt better as the game went on. A couple early in the first bounced off me. Ones that I’d like to take better care of, but I thought after that a little bit cleaner just handling the shots and rebounds. Just moving around a little better.”

Trotz has downplayed the concern over Varlamov’s absence from camp as he recovers from “soreness.” However, the Islanders coach didn’t mince his words when he spoke about the need for Schneider to up his game aas the season inches closer.

“It was an important game for Cory, I felt,” Trotz said. “I didn’t think his previous games he was at the standard I expect him to be, so it was an important game and he responded well.”

The Islanders have a pair of preseason games left and it’s a safe bet Trotz will get Schneider another full game in before the regular season begins on Oct. 14.

24-save shutout. pic.twitter.com/BEnuNbtdkh

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) October 6, 2021

Anders Lee’s Return Goes Well

It didn’t take long for New York Islanders captain Anders Lee to find his rhythm in his first game back since suffering a season-ending injury in March. Lee played on the top line with Mathew Barzal and Kyle Palmieri and the three seemed to mesh pretty quickly.

Lee’s return wasn’t perfect and there were moments where you could see him finding his way back into the groove of things, but Lee scored in his first game back and the trio created a number of opportunities. There even seemed to be a rapidly building chemistry between Lee and Palmieri.

It helps that Lee had plenty of time to watch and study Palmieri’s game last season while he was sidelined.

“I know his game really well and it was just nice to kind of be out there with him,” Lee said. “To see the way he protects the puck. How he is in the corners around the forecheck and obviously his shot, so it’s great to get out there with Palms and see what us three can do.”

Lee will have at least another crack at fine-tuning his game before the regular season starts. Trotz said that Lee would get some more playing with the Islanders facing New Jersey in an exhibition game and then hosting the New York Rangers in the preseason finale.

“It felt good to be out there. It was nice to get on the ice and be with the boys.” – Anders Lee pic.twitter.com/BNXCluq58N

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) October 6, 2021

Good Looks from the Power Play

The New York Islanders power play had a pretty successful night on Tuesday. It converted on two of its four chances against Philadelphia. Beauvillier and Bailey’s goals each came on the man-advantage, though the latter of the two scored in the waning seconds of the game.

Still, it was a positive sign for a team that struggled mightily on the power play last year to have some positive momentum on Tuesday. Trotz did get to try out several variations of what could wind up being the team’s power-play units.

Lee played alongside Palmieri and Austin Czarnik with Noah Dobson and Barzal manning the point during the power play. Beauvlillier, Brock Nelson and Richard Panik also got power-play time with one another, with Erik Gustafsson and Bailey at the point.

The Nelson group created several scoring chances on the man-advantage and obviously converted in the first period.

“We had good success by two things,” Trotz said. “We had a little trouble with our entry originally and then once we got set up we started moving the puck around. We started coming downhill and being a little bit more of a threat. Then we shot it. We weren’t just looking for a tap-in. We were putting it in play and retrieving it and breaking them down.”