Islanders Rally for Win Against Senators
OTTAWA — The Islanders struggled for large portions of the game on Saturday, appearing disorganized and lacking in energy. Goaltender Ilya Sorokin’s performance didn’t suggest that his early-season issues were the root of the problem.
However, in a game filled with ups and downs, the team displayed commendable grit, ultimately securing a 5-4 victory over the Senators. Their comeback in the third period was highlighted by Anders Lee’s decisive goal.
Despite the struggles, Sorokin played a pivotal role in the turnaround early in the third period when the score was tied at three. He blocked a penalty shot from Shane Pinto after Matthew Schaefer had tripped him on a breakaway.
Shortly after, Kyle Palmieri received a pass from Mathew Barzal and deflected the puck past Linus Ullmark, bringing the game to a 4-4 tie.
Sorokin improved noticeably in the final period, making three key saves at one point and limiting the Senators to just four goals. This effort set the stage for the Islanders, who scored again at 18:55 of the third.
Lee intercepted a pass from Jordan Spence, found himself face-to-face with Ullmark, and managed to slip the puck by him, giving the Islanders their first lead of the match.
That lead, albeit momentary, was crucial, showing that the Islanders had heart and, perhaps, a grudging acceptance of their challenges.
Yet, there were certainly areas of concern lingering beneath the surface.
Less than two days after a determined win against the Oilers, the Islanders’ defensive gameplay faltered significantly. They consistently failed to backcheck, leaving their struggling goalie vulnerable.
With Alexander Romanov out due to an upper-body injury, determining how to assign blame—whether to Sorokin or his shaky defense—becomes a bit complicated.
Even though the team’s transition defense was shaky, Sorokin allowed three goals without significant traffic in front of him, plus a fourth in minimal traffic. This doesn’t bode particularly well for his confidence.
After falling behind 2-0 early in the second period, the Islanders seemed to regain their footing when Emil Heineman and Bo Horvat both scored less than a minute apart, leveling the score.
However, by the end of the second intermission, they relinquished the lead twice. Tim Stutzle netted a breakaway goal, making it 3-2 during a moment of disorganization, and Dylan Cozens quickly followed with another goal to regain a 4-3 lead after Maxim Shabanov had tied the game.
Earlier in the game, Sorokin made key saves, including a perplexing attempt from David Perron on a power play, during which the Islanders couldn’t manage a single shot during a lengthy 5-on-3 advantage.
In the end, Sorokin managed 30 saves out of 34 shots faced, with Perron’s opening goal being one that he could have stopped better.
Despite the rough patches, an unsightly win is still worth as much as a perfectly executed victory, and the Islanders would prefer to sort out their issues on a positive note rather than after a loss.
