3 Takeaways: Isles Get Back in Win Column in Washington

The New York Islanders snapped their five-game winless skid on Tuesday night, scoring a 4-1 win over the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena.
Ryan Pulock and Noah Dobson scored power-play goals for the Islanders, while Casey Cizikas netted a shorthanded tally and Anders Lee scored at even strength.

It was a gutsy effort by the Islanders, who were playing with only 11 forwards after a non-covid illness made Brock Nelson a late scratch. Tuesday also marked just the eighth time this season the Islanders had won after allowing the opening goal - though Conor Sheary's goal did come after an overturned goal for Kyle Palmieri.
"It was a hell of a team win," Head Coach Barry Trotz said. "Our room is hacking and coughing and there are a lot of guys sick and right now they're just battling through it. Give them a lot of credit, it was a good character win."

ISLES PLAY SHORTHANDED, GO 11F, 6D:

The Islanders were shorthanded from the drop of the puck on Tuesday night, as the team played with 11 forwards and six defensemen for the first time since March 24, 2007.
ISLANDERS 4, CAPITALS 1
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Full Highlights

Postgame: Dobson and Pulock
Postgame: Cizikas and Lee
KINGER'S CALLS
Pulock Powers One
Dobson's Power-Play Goal
Cizikas Shorthanded Goal
Lee's 27th of the Year
Nelson and Zdeno Chara were late scratches due to a non-COVID illness. While the team was able to recall Robin Salo on emergency basis, they did not have a replacement for Nelson, who had participated in the team's optional morning skate and was fully dressed before succumbing to the bug going around the room.
That left the Islanders down a man when the game started, as Otto Koivula had already been returned to Bridgeport to clear room for JG Pageau's return.
The Islanders centers saw their ice time increase dramatically down a few bodies. Mathew Barzal played a game-high 24:05 - marking his third-highest ice time this season. Pageau, who was returning after missing three games in covid protocol, skated 21:11, while Cizikas skated 15:51. Pageau took 23 faceoffs on Tuesday, winning more (14) than any of the Capitals took.
"Just keep your shifts short, then start getting the legs going," Cizikas said of the approach. "You know you're going get back out there that's the biggest thing, so don't let one shift bother you. Have the memory of a goldfish to get back out there and keep working to get better each and every shift. So that was kind of our mentality at the start of the game, and it carried through the whole time."
The Capitals were without leading scorer and captain Alex Ovechkin, sitting out with an upper-body injury.

SPECIAL TEAMS LEAD WAY:

The Islanders special teams did the majority of scoring on Tuesday night, as the power play accounted for a pair of goals, while the penalty kill contributed a shorthanded tally.
The power play scored on its only two opportunities, with Pulock and Dobson netting goals from the point. They came in different fashions, with Pulock powering a shot past Samsonov in the first period, while Dobson put a point shot off Trevor van Riemsdyk's knee at the side of the net.
Dobson's goal was his 13th of the season and accounted for his 20th power-play point of the season (3PPG, 17PPA). Per Greg Picker, Dobson is the first Isles blueliner with 20+ power-play points (3-17-20) since Mark Streit in 2011-12.
The Islanders power play is 6-for-13 over the past six games.
The Islanders penalty kill, which was a perfect 4-for-4, also got in on the offense, as Cizikas added the insurance goal shorthanded. It was a whacky sequence that saw Cizikas force a turnover behind the Capitals net. While Dmitry Orlov dragged Cizikas down in front, Samsonov tripped over his net and couldn't get back into proper position. That allowed a seated Cizikas enough time to find the puck and backhand it in at 8:42.
Cizikas' goal was the Islanders fifth shorthanded tally of the season.

PULOCK POINT STREAK PROGRESSES:

As the season winds down, Ryan Pulock is starting to heat up.
The defenseman extended his point streak to three games on Tuesday, powering a trademark slapper past Samsonov to knot the score 1-1.
The goal was Pulock's fifth of the season and second in as many games. After recording 10, 9 and 10 goals from 2017-20, Pulock only found the back of the net twice last season. While his five goals - in 55 games - is halfway to his previous benchmark, Head Coach Barry Trotz sees the production as a benefit to propel his defenseman into the offseason.
"Pulock isn't afraid to shoot it, which is good," Trotz said. "I think earlier he was double-clutching it sometimes, those are double clutches when you get you don't get those flat passes and you're worried being the last man back, but guys delivered some good passes and he stepped into a couple and he was dangerous. and I thought he defended well and make good decisions and there's a real solid game from him."
Pulock had a team-high five shots on goal on Tuesday. His goal proved to be a big one for the team as well, evening the score after Sheary gave the Caps a 1-0 lead.

NEXT GAME:

The Islanders and Capitals finish off a home-and-home set on Thursday night at UBS Arena. Puck drop is 7 p.m.