Takeaways: Islanders Fall to Penguins 8-3

The New York Islanders allowed a season-high eight goals on Monday night, falling 8-3 to the Pittsburgh Penguins at UBS Arena.

Anders Lee (PPG), Mathew Barzal (1G, 1A) and Brayden Schenn had the Islanders up 3-1 in the second period, but the Penguins responded with seven unanswered goals, including a five-goal second period.

Anthony Mantha (2G, 1A), Rickard Rakell (2G), Elmer Soderblom, Ryan Shea, Avery Hayes and Bryan Rust scored for the Penguins, while Justin Brazeau dished out three assists.

While Monday was the first time allowing eight goals in a game since allowing nine to the New York Rangers on April 10, 2025, It marked the third time this season the Islanders had allowed seven goals in a game.

Ilya Sorokin allowed seven goals in a game for the first time in his career, as he stopped 21 of 28 shots before getting pulled in the third period. David Rittich stopped two of three shots in relief, while Arturs Silovs stopped 20 of 23 in the win.

“A loss is a loss,” Lee said. “Obviously, it's not fair to our goaltenders that they had as many chances against as they did tonight, but we lost a big game tonight.”

It wasn’t pretty on the scoreboard or the standings, as the Islanders (89 points) dropped to third place in the Metropolitan Division, as the Penguins (90 points) jumped back into second place. The Penguins still hold a game in hand over the Islanders, as do the Columbus Blue Jackets, who sit one point back (88 points) in the second Wild Card.

TAKEAWAYS

One game after scoring five goals in the second period, the Islanders allowed five goals in the middle frame of Monday’s contest. The Islanders seemed in control of the game when Schenn deposited a Barzal rebound at the 9:17 mark of the second, but Pittsburgh upended the Islanders with three goals in a 3:34 span to turn New York’s 3-1 lead into a 4-3 deficit.

The consensus turning point was Rakell’s shorthanded goal, with Pittsburgh scoring on two of their next four shots to take their first lead of the game. Shea one-timed a Mantha feed from the half wall far side on Sorokin at 13:29 and Mantha slipped the first of his two goals five-hole on Sorokin on a breakaway at 14:35. Mantha deked around Sorokin for his second of the game at the 17:18 minute mark.

It marked the first time the Islanders allowed five goals in a period since April 17, 2025 against Columbus.  

“We just started trading chances with them,” Lee said. “We hadn't done it up until that point… So that's why I think it's frustrating. We were playing fine, and then, you have to stop the bleeding at some point, change the momentum.”

The Penguins were credited with 13 shots on goal in the second period and 13 high-danger chances at five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick (they finished the game with a 23-6 high-danger chance advantage). So while Sorokin did not have an easy night – the Isles did a 180-degree turn from a careful and calculated first period – it was an uncharacteristic game for the netminder allowed seven goals for the first time in his career.

“We let him down,” Kyle MacLean said. “He’s been so good for us, and we can't play like that in front of him. He deserves better.”

Things didn’t improve in the third period, as Hayes deposited a Ben Kindel pass in the crease at 6:06 to make it 6-3, while Rakell’s second of the game – on a three-on-one – ended Sorokin’s night at 7-3. Rust rounded out the scoresheet at 16:16. When asked about specific lines and players, Head Coach Patrick Roy said he felt the second half was “difficult” for the whole team.

“That was probably one of our worst game defensively in a while,” Roy said. “We can't give that many chances and think that we are going to win hockey games.”

Really, all the Islanders can do is turn the page, as Lee said, a loss is a loss – and Tuesday’s game in Buffalo is a chance to right the ship.

“You don't like to be embarrassed like this in front of your fans,” Roy said. “We need to be regroup and be ready for tomorrow night.”

Roy did not reveal a goaltender for Tuesday’s game in Buffalo.

Before the game went sour, the Cal Ritchie-Schenn-Barzal line combined for a pair of goals in the second period as they continue to gel offensively. Ritchie sprung Barzal on a two-on-one rush that Barzal roofed on Silovs to put the Isles up 2-1. The rookie made a nifty no-look pass to Barzal on the zone entry that resulted in Schenn’s 3-1 tally, giving Ritchie a pair of assists and extending his point streak to five games. Schenn is up to four points in his last two games.

NEXT GAME

The Islanders wrap up a back-to-back set on Tuesday night in Buffalo against the Sabres. Puck drop is at 7 PM.