Mathew Barzal extended his point streak to seven games on Thursday night, delivering a highlight-reel dagger late in the third period.
Barzal picked up a loose puck at center, turned on the jets and sprinted into the Penguins zone, faking a cut inside before going around Pierre-Oliver Joseph and roofing a shot past DeSmith.
"[Lee] made a good wall play, he gave me the loose puck and let me skate onto it," Barzal said. "I knew I was in a one-on-one situation and tried making a move. Sometimes you get into those spots and you went to pull up, but I just put my head down and wanted to go right through him. I was fortunate enough to get it right upstairs in the end. Most of the first period I put it right in [DeSmith's] belly. It was nice to get that one upstairs and score."
The goal was Barzal's ninth point (3G, 6A) in his last seven games, and the seven-game run matches a career-high for the Islanders forward, set in November of 2017. The dynamic goal was reminiscent of Barzal's inside-out move around Tony DeAngelo in the season opener.
"When he's driving the net, he's dangerous," Trotz said of Barzal. "He had another look in overtime that he took to the net. That's how you score goals. You get into that hard area and he's so skilled and can use his speed. I thought he was really solid in his two-way game today."
Barzal was dialed in on Thursday, using his speed to chase Marino around the net in overtime before using his body to separate the puck and keep possession in the Pens end.
Barzal finished the game with 20:45 TOI, four shots and a goal. He leads the Islanders with 13 points (5G, 8A) in 12 games.