Revamped Islanders face familiar problems in defeat to Penguins

PITTSBURGH — The Islanders Encounter Growing Pains in Season Opener

The Islanders appeared to be stepping into a new chapter on Thursday night, yet familiar issues ultimately cost them in a 4-3 defeat against the Penguins during their season opener.

Despite a clear emphasis on improving their penalty kill over the preseason, the Islanders allowed two goals while short-handed. Things took a turn in the game’s closing period when Ilya Sorokin was sent to the penalty box, leading to Justin Brazeau’s game-winning goal in the third, which overshadowed the debut of Matthew Schaefer.

Schaefer made history as the youngest player to earn points in an NHL debut, putting on a solid performance before a crowd filled with around 30 family and friends. He contributed an assist on Jonathan Drouin’s goal early on—certainly a bright spot for the beginning of the season.

The speed displayed by the Islanders was, well, a much-needed improvement, especially for a team often criticized for being too sluggish on the ice.

However, a come-from-behind win was never in the cards. Max Shabanov managed to tie the game at 3 just before the second intermission, marking Russia’s first NHL goal with help from Simon Holmstrom.

As the third period began, the Penguins applied pressure, yet Sorokin, despite some shaky moments earlier, made several crucial saves at the crease. But then, at 14:21, Brazeau maneuvered smoothly past Scott Mayfield, putting the Penguins ahead again.

The Islanders nearly equalized shortly after, thanks to Adam Pelech drawing a hooking penalty on Ben Kinde with 3:45 remaining. But a tying goal eluded them, even after Drouin barely missed scoring in the final seconds. Instead, he found himself penalized for cross-checking in a post-play scramble.

Pittsburgh capitalized on two power-play goals in the early stages, a recurring theme that has haunted the Islanders in previous seasons. Evgeni Malkin opened the scoring on a power play at 3:23, and Sidney Crosby added another during a 4-on-3 situation later in the second period.

That accounted for two of the Penguins’ three goals in the first 40 minutes, while the Islanders managed goals from Kyle Palmieri and Matt Barzal. The power play, another area of focus this preseason, went 0-for-3. Still, the Islanders at least created some 5-on-4 opportunities—something they struggled with last year.

Despite the offseason changes and the glimpses of improvement shown on the ice, the Islanders seem trapped by the same concerns that plagued them previously: issues with the penalty kill, weaknesses on the power play, and struggles in the closing moments of games.