5 Takeaways: Islanders Come Back in 4-3 Win Over Pens

The New York Islanders got back in the win column - and after five days without a game - as they defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 on Saturday night at Nassau Coliseum.
The first meeting between the two fierce rivals didn't disappoint and for the Islanders, it was an enormous relief to get the 'W.'
How bad did the team need that win?
"Probably like a starving person needing food," Head Coach Barry Trotz said after the game. "That's probably how bad we needed it. We needed it for confidence, we needed it to get ourselves back in the race, we've played a few less games and we found a way to battle again."

Only once did the Islanders trail the game, but a two-goal effort in the third period helped them mount the much-needed comeback win and avoid overtime. Anders Lee sealed the Islanders victory with just under three minutes left in the game on the power play while Jordan Eberle's posted a first-period brace and Cal Clutterbuck had the game-tying goal in the third period. The win was backstopped by Semyon Varlamov who made 28 saves in his 500th NHL game.
Here are five takeaways from the Islanders win:

TRUST THE PROCESS

In what was a tight-checking, competitive hockey game the Islanders showed resilience and stayed the course to earn two valuable points and a well-deserved exhale of relief. It wasn't the team's prettiest win, but it was a morale booster.
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Full Highlights
Eberle Opens Scoring
Eberle's Second Goal
Clutterbuck's Tying Goal
Lee's GWG
Postgame: Trotz
Postgame: Eberle and Dal Colle
Postgame: Lee
Postgame: Varlamov
KINGER'S CALLS
Eberle's First Goal
Eberle's Second Goal
Clutterbuck Ties It
Lee's Game-Winning Goal
"Tonight wasn't the prettiest game, but it doesn't matter," Lee said. "We found a way tonight, that's all that matters."
The third period, in particular, the Islanders showed grit and belief to get the job done.
As the Penguins took a 3-2 lead early in the third period - as a result of their top line going to work and Sidney Crosby working his magic to get Jake Guentzel the Grade A chance - the Islanders showed patience and began to build back their offense and composure.
The Islanders 'Identity Line' of Matt Martin, Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck did what they do best to get the Islanders back in the game and tie the score 3-3. With their smothering forecheck, the trio backed the Penguins into their own zone and Cizikas won a foot face down to the loose puck that was headed to the boards, he dropped a pass right in front and Clutterbuck jammed in the feed and scored his first goal of the season at 8:23.

SIGNIFICANT SPECIAL TEAMS

In a highly-competitive East Division with razor-thin margins, Trotz has repeatedly noted the importance of special teams and their ability to win games. Against the Penguins, the Islanders special teams was perfect, going 1-for-1 on both the penalty kill and the power play.
Their penalty kill denied the Penguins' sole power play opportunity in the second period - including a huge stop by Varlamov to stone a signature backhander from Crosby - and on the flip side, the Islanders power play delivered the dagger.
"That may have been one of our best power plays," Trotz said. "They had a really good attack mentality, retrievals and that was huge. We needed our special teams to come up huge at an important time, we needed a response after giving up the lead."
With the score tied 3-3 and a winding clock, both teams displayed spirited efforts. The palpable momentum on the ice came to a halt as the Teddy Blueger lobbed the puck into the fanless stands followed by the refs blowing their whistles signaling the delay of game penalty.
With the game on the line, the Islanders power play rose to the occasion and provided the game-winner. With Noah Dobson walking the blueline, the Islanders circulated the puck throughout the zone before Ryan Pulock blasted a purposeful one-timer on net. Jarry made the initial save, but the Islanders captain buried the loose puck.

VARLAMOV'S 500TH GAME

Video: PIT@NYI: Varlamov shuts the door on Crosby
It had been over a week since the Islanders netminder last played, due to the unforeseen layoff, but the Varlamov looked solid in his 500th career game.
Of the three goals that Varlamov relinquished - to Pierre-Oliver Joseph, Evgeni Malkin and Guentzel - they were quick strikes on behalf of the Penguins, but the Islanders netminder did an excellent job stoning the persistent Pittsburgh offense.
Varlamov denied the Penguins well on their shots from the perimeter. Up close, the netminder kept their flurries at bay, especially after the Penguins third goal - which subsequently sparked their offense - and featured an onslaught of defensive breakdowns from the Islanders that unfolded.
But Varlamov kept his team in the game.
After denying a few more dangerous odd-man rushes, all of which included a revved up Crosby, the Islanders were able to express their gratitude and even the score 3-3.
"[Varlamov] has been solid all year," Eberle said. "Even going back to last year, he's been really good. He's stole us a couple games already this year."
It was a memorable game for his 500th and an impressive milestone to reach. Over the span of his 13-year NHL career, the Russian netminder has earned a record of 236-185-57.
Varlamov began his career in Washington, where he was drafted 23rd overall by the Capitals in 2006. Following three seasons, he was dealt to the Colorado Avalanche where he spent the bulk of his career for the next eight seasons.
Back in July 2019, Varlamov joined the Islanders as an unrestricted free agent. In his first year with the Islanders, the 32-year-old finished the season with a record of 19-14-6. In the Stanley Cup Playoffs where the Islanders reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 1993, Varlamov backstopped the team through the majority of their run with his 11-7-0 record and posted a career-best of two shutouts.

ELECTRIC EBERLE

Eberle deposited his fourth and fifth goals of the season against the Penguins, which marked his second two-goal game of the campaign. Both of Eberle's goals came as a result of his efforts to help jumpstart a counter attack following a forced Penguins turnover and carefully reading the play as it unfolds by holding his position down low.
Eberle's icebreaker came midway through the first period off a quick transition from a forced Penguins turnover at their blueline. Michael Dal Colle sprung Eberle in the high slot, where he zipped his way past Pens blueliner Cody Ceci and towards the goal mouth where he tucked his backhander past Pittsburgh netminder Tristian Jarry.
After the Penguins had evened the score 1-1 just under four minutes after Eberle's strike, the forward restored the Islanders one-goal lead heading into the first intermission. Brock Nelson forced a Penguins turnover that hemmed them back in their zone, the center's initial shot was blocked by Jarry, but Eberle took care of business on the doorstep.
During the stretches where offense hasn't come easy for the Islanders, Eberle has been a glowing beacon. While the Islanders were in the thick of their five-game winless streak and on the road, Trotz looked to the magnetic playmaker when he knew he needed to spark some offense in his other lines. He opted to swap Eberle with Josh Bailey, even if that meant breaking up the trio of Anders Lee, Mathew Barzal and Eberle, who had developed effortless chemistry and were entering their third season as a line.
Since the start of the season, the shifty winger has found a groove in creating chances and revving the Islanders' offense. In return, he's been rewarded for his efforts and now, surpassed Barzal for the Islanders goal scoring lead (5).

FIRST OF SIX MEETINGS IN FEBRUARY

Tweet from @NYIslanders: Bailey giving Varlamov the game puck for winning his 500th NHL game is everything. 🥺 pic.twitter.com/sdegnCexUM
While the Islanders and Penguins will go head-to-head eight times over the span of their respective 56-game seasons, the schedule slated the foes to face one another six times during the month of February.
For the Islanders, that means half of their 12 games scheduled in February will feature Pittsburgh. Contrary to the spirit of the month of love, there assuredly will be no love lost between the two opponents come March 1.
While game one of their season series against the Penguins wasn't particularly heated, it showcased a sturdy effort of tight-checking, detailed play from both sides. Neither team was afforded many opportunities to hold possession for a lengthy period and get their offense set up for a cycle. Instead, both sides had to capitalize quickly on the rare mistake of their opponent to get on the scoreboard.
The exchanges of goals in the third period, as Pittsburgh temporarily took the lead and the Islanders evened it up, ignited the intensity.

NEXT GAME:

The Islanders head into Manhattan on Monday night to take on the New York Rangers for the third time this season. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. at Madison Square Garden.