ISLES LET LEAD SLIP, SALVAGE ONE POINT IN THE SHOOTOUT
The Islanders showed grit in a high-stakes contest but let a 2-1 lead slip in allowing the Rangers to force overtime as they ultimately fell in a shootout.
The Rangers came out of the gate with force, establishing significant zone time early but Sorokin stopped Mika Zibanejad's chance and made an important pad save on Adam Fox early in the game.
The Islanders weren’t able to generate much in their opportunities on the man advantage, as their power play went 0-for-5 in the contest, pitted against the Rangers' NHL third-best penalty kill (84.4%).
"Our power play didn't do a very good job," Roy said. "We didn't move that puck well, but to give the Rangers credit though, they put a lot of pressure on us."
The Islanders gave up several shorthanded chances in the span of a double minor taken by Kaapo Kakko for high sticking Robert Bortuzzo. Mat Barzal drew a boarding penalty with 13 seconds left in the double minor in the second period, creating a brief 5-on-3 for the Islanders, but they weren’t able to convert.
The Rangers broke through shorthanded, as Braden Schneider’s initial shot was saved by Sorokin, but he was able to bury his own rebound, breaking open the scoring at 4:33 of the second period. The goal interrupted a 36-game streak where the Isles have not allowed a shorthanded goal.
“Five-on-five we did a lot of good things, had some good zone time,” Brock Nelson said. “But with special teams, at this point in the year we have to be better. Can’t be detrimental to the team giving up a shorthanded goal like that.”
Shortly after, Pierre Engvall found the back of the net with a one-timer but was disallowed after a coach’s challenge for offside.
Nelson buried a pair of second period goals to create a 2-1 advantage with Kyle Palmieri and Hudson Fasching each earning two assists.
The Islanders showed grit in the third period, with several opportunities to take a two-goal lead. Adam Pelech was awarded a penalty shot late in the third period, his first opportunity of his eight-year NHL career, but Shesterkin stoned him to keep it a one-goal game. It marked the second penalty shot in the last two games against the Rangers, as Barzal’s penalty shot was also denied by Shesterkin on Tuesday.
The Rangers scored the equalizer with a power-play goal with 4:17 left in the third, as Artemi Panarin’s snapshot off the draw beat Sorokin.
In an action-packed overtime, the Islanders outshot the Rangers 4-0 in three-on-three hockey. Mathew Barzal’s shot with seven seconds left in overtime, but he was robbed by Igor Shesterkin with a flashy glove save.
"We had a of looks, created a lot of great chances in the third period," Anders Lee said. "Shesterkin made some great saves and so did Ilya for us, so it was a pretty good hockey game."
The Islanders were stoned by Shesterkin on all three opportunities in the shootout, while Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck found the back of the net to take the two points for the Rangers.
