3 Takeaways: Isles Ground Jets in 2-0 Shutout Win

In a battle of long point streaks, the New York Islanders prevailed on Saturday, shutting out the Winnipeg Jets 2-0 at Canada Life Centre.
Ilya Sorokin made 24 saves for his third shutout of the season, while Anders Lee and Brock Nelson provided the offensive. In the process, the Islanders extended their point streak to seven games (5-0-2) and ended the Jets point streak at eight.
"It was a team effort," Head Coach Barry Trotz said. "When I look at our team I look at scoring chances, which were way down today. Blocked shots were way up. Puck management was pretty concise for the most part. Our execution was good. There were a lot of things to like about our game. Hopefully we get a little rhythm here."
Here are three takeaways from a textbook Islanders win in Winnipeg.

SOROKIN GETS SHUTOUT, AS ISLES GET STINGY:

The Islanders grounded the Jets high-flying offense on Saturday night, turning in a true-to-their-identity road game in the shutout win.
The Isles became the first team to shut out the Jets this season, who had scored four-or-more goals in each of their first four home games, including a 5-1 win over Chicago the night before.
That didn't faze the Islanders, who took away time and space from the Jets, while limiting second and third opportunities against Sorokin. The Isles were committed, blocking 19 of the Jets' 60 shot attempts, and giving Sorokin clear lanes to see pucks.
"We always look at it as a team effort," Trotz said. "Our goaltenders are very strong and very capable, but you look at certain stats where you can tell your team is playing as a team and have commitment to each other. We had 19 blocked shots. We had 26 hits. We battled on the wall. Our decisions were really good."
Trotz admitted that the Islanders needed a little luck in the win, alluding to Mark Scheifele's miss on an open net in the second period, as well as Blake Wheeler's shot off the crossbar on a puck kicked off the end boards to the Jets captain.

"You need a little luck at the same time," Trotz said, adding that he felt like his team had the better of the chances in the third period after a "rough patch" in the second.
That undersells Sorokin's contribution to the win, as the Islanders goaltender was solid when called upon. Saturday was the 26-year-old's ninth-straight start, by far the most work of his young NHL career.
It's yielded positive results thus far, as Sorokin's three shutouts in nine games, equals his total number of clean sheets in 22 games last year.
"He's so steady back there," Lee said. "You can see it in his eyes, how calm he is back there, how poised he is. He's never out of a save. He's making a ton of them right now for us and keeping us in games and maintaining our leads and all those things. This last stretch of games that you've seen from him is some of his best hockey and goaltending that we've seen from him."
As always, Sorokin was quick to deflect the praise to his teammates, who he credited with playing a disciplined game. The Isles only took one penalty, keeping the Jets lethal power play - which entered the game converting at 50% at home.
With Sorokin starting Saturday Trotz said Semyon Varlamov is likely starter for Sunday, which would be the goaltender's season debut.

LEE LIGHTS THE LAMP:

Anders Lee lit the lamp on Saturday night, busting out of a six-game pointless drought in the process.
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Lee posted up near the net and made no mistake after collecting a Josh Bailey feed, snapping it far side on Eric Comrie. The goal was Islanders captain's second of the season and second point since opening night.
The goal was a good response for the line after an off night against the Montreal Canadiens.
"That was a really good response," Trotz said. "They got us going. Lee's was a big goal, that's what your leaders do. We need their line to be a big part of what we do. They led the way early for us, they were really good. They probably could have had two or three goals."
The line combined for several quality chances on Saturday, including a Mathew Barzal breakaway early in the third period. Barzal was uncontested from center ice, stickhandling at a dizzying pace before ultimately finding iron.
"The puck was with us a little bit more tonight," Lee said. "All three of us did a good job of seeing each other and making little plays. It's a good game for us to build off of and continue to work on what we need to do. Tonight we were closer to where we want to be all the time."

Video: NYI@WPG: Nelson rings home wicked wrist shot

NELSON STAYS RED HOT:

When you're hot, you're hot.
Nelson scored his fifth goal in two games on Saturday, giving the Islanders a 2-0 cushion with a key goal early in the third period. Nelson beat Eric Comrie stick side with a good wrister off the rush, sprung by a Kyle Palmieri touch pass off a stretch feed from Adam Pelech.
Pelech's dish was his second stretch pass in two games that started a sequence to a goal, as well as the second time Palmieri hit Nelson with a light touch.
With the tally, Nelson's season total is up to a team-leading seven goals.

NEXT GAME:

The Islanders wrap up a back-to-back set on Sunday night in Minnesota. Puck drop is at 8 p.m. et.