Three takeaways for the Islanders after their 1-1-1 start to the season
Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin makes a glove save of a shot as defenseman Ryan Pulock and Colorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen fight for position in front of the net in the third period of a game on Monday in Denver. Credit: AP/David Zalubowski
ST. LOUIS – The Islanders conclude their first road trip of the season Thursday night against Blues hoping to continue building momentum.
After opening the season with a 5-4 overtime loss to Utah at UBS Arena, the Islanders believed they played better in a 3-0 loss in Dallas. That belief blossomed into Monday night’s 6-2 win in Colorado.
Here are three takeaways from the Islanders’ 1-1-1 start:
1. Layoff? What layoff for Ilya Sorokin?
Ilya Sorokin, entering the first season of an eight-year, $66 million deal, missed all six preseason games and most of training camp after needing offseason back surgery.
So all he did was make 32 saves, including some acrobatic, brilliant ones, against the Avalanche in his first start.
Between that debut and Semyon Varlamov’s solid play in the Islanders’ first two games, any concern about the goaltending should be relaxed.
“Some of the saves he made were incredible,” Casey Cizikas said. “And that’s just him being him. He’s never out of a play. He never gives up on a play. He was locked in. I thought he followed the puck really well.”
2. The penalty kill: Now that’s more like it.
There was plenty of consternation after the Islanders went 0-for-2 on the penalty kill against Utah. After all, the unit finished last in the NHL last season, prompting a switch in assistant coaches running the penalty kill from Doug Houda to Tommy Albelin.
But the penalty kill rebounded to go 2-for-2 in each of the next two games, allowing the Stars three power-play shots and the Avalanche none.
Notably, the Islanders’ penalty killers, led by defensemen Alexander Romanov, Scott Mayfield, Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock and forwards Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Simon Holmstrom, Kyle MacLean and Cizikas have been selling out with their bodies to block shots. Romanov had six blocked shots against the Stars.
Coach Patrick Roy said after the season opener he needed to see more pride and commitment from his penalty killers.
“Exactly what it is and that’s what we talk about,” Roy said. “I thought our PK was good.”
3. The second line looks top notch.
Brock Nelson between Kyle Palmieri and 26-year-old Russian rookie Max Tsyplakov has consistently been the Islanders’ best line in all three games.
Nelson, whose typically strong starts have led Islanders’ fans to dub this month Brocktober, scored twice against the Avalanche, including an unassisted shorthanded goal. Palmieri converted a breakaway. In all, the trio has been on ice a team-high 34:46 at five-on-five with a team-best Corsi for percentage of 52.56 and team-best scoring chances for percentage of 58.33 (21-15), all per NaturalStatTrick.com.
And Tysplakov has adapted quickly to the North American game with a penchant for physical play and going hard to the net. Plus, he had a power-play goal in the season opener.
“He’s just comfortable communicating,” Nelson said. “I imagine it’s an extremely hard thing just coming into a different environment with a second language. He’s comfortable asking questions, talking to us.”
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
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