Islanders top Devils for first win in eight games at new arena

ELMONT, N.Y. -- The New York Islanders got their first win in eight games at UBS Arena with a 4-2 victory against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.

Zach Parise scored his first goal of the season, Jean-Gabriel Pageau had a goal and an assist, and Mathew Barzal and Oliver Wahlstrom each had two assists for the Islanders (7-11-5), who were 0-5-2 in their first seven home games. Ilya Sorokin made 30 saves.
The Islanders streak was the longest in NHL history to open an arena. New York last won a home game May 8, 2021, 5-1 against the Devils at Nassau Coliseum.
"I'll give the fans credit for the win because they stuck with us through the whole game, they stuck with us through the last six or seven (home) games," New York coach Barry Trotz said. "I was sitting in the office here and you could hear the thunder of the fans in the locker room, in the coaches room. That's fantastic. That's why the Islander fans are special.

"We're going to dig ourselves out of this and try to make some noise. But we're going to need them, and they were a big part of it tonight, and I want to thank them for sure."
Akira Schmid made 25 saves in his NHL debut, and Jack Hughes scored for the Devils (10-11-5), who have lost six of their past seven games (1-5-1).
"Great experience, but obviously I would've (preferred) to come out with a win than a loss," Schmid said. "But just good to get that information about how it's played in the NHL, that you're ready or that at least could play here."
Jesper Bratt gave New Jersey a 1-0 lead at 17:01 of the first period, skating in all alone following a turnover by Scott Mayfield in the offensive zone.
The Islanders responded with a power-play goal 44 seconds later when Noah Dobson's slap shot from the right point deflected in off Devils defenseman Damon Severson's stick to tie it 1-1.
Hughes then restored the lead for New Jersey 40 seconds after that with a slap shot from the left face-off circle to make it 2-1 at 18:25.
"We've talked a lot about getting off to a good start," Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. "We got out of the gates, got the first goal, ended up making it 2-1. I really feel that we get the third one, we've got them in a lot tougher place where they have to play probably a game they don't like playing."

However, Sorokin kept it a one-goal game with a blocker save against Andreas Johnsson on a breakaway at 2:34 of the second period, and Andy Greene tied it 2-2 with a wrist shot from the edge of the right circle at 8:33.
"That was huge, that sort of reset him," Trotz said of the Sorokin save. "That first period, I was going, 'He's not feeling it tonight and not seeing it.' … He settled in the rest of the night. I thought he was outstanding after that."
Parise gave New York a 3-2 lead at 16:33 on a shorthanded breakaway after receiving a backhand feed in the neutral zone from Pageau, who one-timed a pass from Wahlstrom to make it 4-2 at 9:37 of the third period.
Parise's goal drought ended on what would have been his father's 80th birthday. J.P. Parise, who played for the Islanders from 1975-78, died in 2015.
"Really, there's not a day that goes by that I don't think about him, what he did for me as a person and as a player," Parise said. "I had a good feeling coming to the rink today for whatever reason, just knowing his birthday. I had a good feeling all day, so for me it was pretty emotional. When that puck went in, of course my mind goes right to him and what he did for me as a person and as a player."
The Devils played without center Nico Hischier and defenseman Ryan Graves, who were placed in NHL COVID-19 protocol before the game.
"Obviously, they're both important players," Ruff said. "Every team has had to deal with this. We're going to have to deal with it. We'll find out where everything is at in the next couple of days, but again, we have to find players within our roster to pick up the slack and help us win hockey games."
NOTES: It was Wahlstrom's third straight multipoint game (one goal, five assists) ... Islanders centers Brock Nelson (lower body) and Casey Cizikas (COVID-19 protocol) each returned to the lineup. Nelson, who missed seven games, had two shots on goal in 16:52 of ice time; Cizikas, who missed five, had two shots in 14:59. … New York forward Anthony Beauvillier was a healthy scratch after being benched for the first 10 minutes of the second period in a 4-3 loss to the Nashville Predators on Thursday. … Barzal extended his point streak to six games (one goal, eight assists). … With Graves unavailable, Devils defenseman Christian Jaros played 8:36 and had one shot and three hits. Center Jesper Boqvist replaced Hischier and had one shot in 11:28.