Takeaways: Islanders Hold On For 3-2 Win Over Flames

The New York Islanders beat the Calgary Flames 3-2 on Saturday night in the second half of a back-to-back set.

Simon Holmstrom (2G) scored twice, including a shorthanded tally, while Casey Cizikas also contributed a goal in the win. Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman scored third period goals for the Flames, but the Islanders staved off a furious Calgary push to secure two points. David Rittich made 30 saves in his 14^th win of the season.

Devin Cooley allowed three goals on 10 shots faced through 20 minutes before he was replaced by Dustin Wolf, who made all 17 saves in relief.

“We needed Rittich tonight big-time,” Captain Anders Lee said. “He stood tall and he’s solid as he’s been all season. These games at this part of the year, we need everybody going. From Rittich on out, guys played a solid hockey game.”

TAKEAWAYS

- The Islanders built a sizeable lead – up 3-0 by the 19:35 mark of the game – but the Flames made adjustments, particularly in goal, and came as close as 3-2 but the Islanders held on to win. The Islanders bent, but didn’t break during a 19-shot effort in the final frame from Calgary.

 “We did what we had to do to close out that game,” Head Coach Patrick Roy said.

- Holmstrom recorded his fourth career two-goal game and second of the season as he potted two goals in the first period. Brayden Schenn rushed down the left side of the ice and made a centering feed to Holmstrom in the low slot, as the Swedish winger buried his 15^th goal of the season. He scored his second of the game shorthanded as Holmstrom went forehand to backhand and deposited another goal to extend the Isles lead to 3-0 late in the first period.

- It was the first game that Schenn and Holmstrom played together as linemates, and before the game Roy was looking forward to see how Holmstrom’s speed and puck protection will gel with Schenn, whose two-way game he compared to that of JG Pageau. The two clicked right away.

- After two first period goals from Holmstrom and Cizikas, Wolf entered the game and he was lights-out, stopping all 17 shots he faced. This gave the Flames a boost and the chance to get back in the game, as Backlund broke through at the 2:17 mark of the third period and shortly after, Coleman beat Scott Mayfield and Carson Soucy on the rush and buried the second goal of the game for the Flames, bringing Calgary within one with 9:32 left to go in the third period.

- Rittich’s effort through 60 minutes, and especially in the third period, was key in the win. Rittich came up big early as he made a huge save on Yegor Sharangovich in the first period to keep it scoreless, inciting  ‘Rittich’ chants in a packed house at UBS Arena. The chants picked up again when the Isles were up 3-0 and Rittich made a pad save on a Ryan Strome attempt at the right side of the crease.

“I don’t know if I ever played in front of better fans than what we have here,” Rittich said of the fans at UBS Arena. “We really appreciate them showing up to support and cheering for every single one of us.”

- Cizikas scored for the first time since Feb. 5 in a 3-1 win against New Jersey. It was a greasy goal, one where Cizikas hounded the net and had a second and third effort to hammer it home.

“We needed to have a response in our first period today,” Lee said. “As a group we did that. To see Casey go out, and score like we talked about, getting greasy early. I liked the way we attacked tonight and how that line got us going tonight.”

- The Isles improved to 8-3-1 on the second half of back-to-back sets this season.

“We’ve been doing a good job of managing the puck when we know that our legs aren’t really there, getting the puck deep and trying to outwork them in their own zone,” Holmstrom said of the team’s second half success. “Everyone is fighting.”

NEXT GAME

The Islanders have two days without games before they kick off a three-game road trip that sees Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. Puck drop against the Maple Leafs is on Tuesday at 7PM.