3 Takeaways: Islanders Beat Blue Jackets 2-1 for Third Straight Win

The New York Islanders won their third straight game on Thursday night, beating the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1 at UBS Arena.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau had a goal and an assist in the win, while Mathew Barzal also scored a power-play goal. Emil Bemstrom snapped Ilya Sorokin's (20 saves) shutout bid with 22 seconds to play.

With the win, the Islanders closed out their homestand with a perfect 3-0-0 record and also picked up their third against Columbus this season and sixth straight overall vs the Blue Jackets.
"It's been a couple of games now. I think we're playing the way we want," Pageau said. "We're all playing a role and we're competing a lot and for a full 60 and I thought we did that tonight."

ISLES PLAY SHUTDOWN DEFENSE

The Islanders defensive game was in fine form during the team's three-game homestand, only allowing three goals - one in each game - over that span.
ISLANDERS 2, BLUE JACKETS 1
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KINGER'S CALLS
Pageau Opens Scoring
Barzal's PPG
The Islanders held the Blue Jackets to 21 shots on Thursday night, the second time in as many games the Isles held a team to 21 shots, which tied their season-low. Thursday also marked the third straight game the Islanders allowed 23 shots or fewer.
"There's a lot of detail, a lot of commitment, a lot of block shots and battles that we're winning," Pageau said. "Everyone's contributing and obviously some big saves from our goalie."
Not only was the shot quantity low for the Blue Jackets, so was the shot quality, as the Islanders limited Columbus to seven high-danger chances at five-on-five, per Natural
"We've done a good job of kind of slowing the puck down in our defensive zone, pinning guys to the wall and being able to double a little bit more frequently," Anders Lee said.
That made it a quiet night for Sorokin, who was 22 seconds away from his fourth shutout of the season before a Marcus Bjork shot - that was going well wide of the net - hit Bemstrom in the chest.

PAGEAU POWERS OFFENSE:

JG Pageau opened the scoring for the Islanders on Thursday. The versatile center started and finished the play, picking off Johnny Gaudreau drop pass before streaking up the ice and eventually stuffing in a Hudson Fasching rebound at 7:12 of the second period.
Pageau also played a key role in the Islanders second goal, disrupting a Sean Kuraly clearing attempt on an Islanders power play. After Pageau prevented the clear, Brock Nelson fed Mathew Barzal for a one timer at 16:39.
Pageau's goal snapped a nine-game goal drought for the 30-year-old center, who finished the game with two shots, two hits and won 10 of his 17 faceoffs.
"He's just responsible all the time," Head Coach Lane Lambert said. "There are a lot of little things that he does that maybe don't get noticed, they sure do by his teammates and the coaching staff. "Just a responsible guy that is taking the challenge of playing against the other teams top lines every night, relishes that and does a really good job with it."

POWER PLAY ENDS DROUGHT

The Islanders power play scored for the first time since Dec. 9, snapping an eight-game drought with the man advantage.
Barzal did the deed, one-timing a feed from Brock Nelson after JG Pageau disrupted a Blue Jackets' clearing attempt.
The goal snapped an 0-for-27 stretch for the power play, one where the Islanders felt they had some games where they were generating chances. Regardless, the Islanders were happy to end the drought and hopefully swing the pendulum the other direction ahead of their upcoming trip.

NEXT GAME:

The Islanders head out on the road for a four-game western road trip, beginning on New Year's Day in Seattle. Puck drop is at 8 p.m. eastern.