Islanders end three-game losing streak as Ilya Sorokin earns shutout, Simon Holmstrom nets pair
Ilya Sorokin #30 of the Islanders makes a save during the second period against the Buffalo Sabres at UBS Arena on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. Credit: Jim McIsaac
The Islanders bookended November with wins over the Sabres, both times protecting their third-period lead and scoring on the power play.
If only the rest of the month went like that.
They snapped a three-game losing streak with a 3-0 victory on Saturday night at UBS Arena with both teams playing on back-to-back days and the Islanders dressing 11 forwards and seven defensemen.
The Islanders had been in a 1-4-2 skid, having failed to protect a third-period lead in five of those matches.
Ilya Sorokin made 29 saves for his first shutout of the season. That included stretching out his right pad to deny Dylan Cozens’ shorthanded one-timer at 1:11 of the third period.
The Islanders (9-10-6) earned a 4-3 win in Buffalo on Nov. 1 during which defensemen Alexander Romanov, Mike Reilly and Adam Pelech all exited with injuries. Only Romanov has returned to the lineup.
But the Islanders finished November a disappointing 6-5-4, unable to protect a third-period lead six times overall.
The Islanders were in a 1-for-14 power-play rut over their previous seven games and coach Patrick Roy called their man advantage efforts “awful” in Friday afternoon’s 5-4 overtime loss in Washington as they were 0-for-3.
They went 1-for-3 against the Sabres as Anders Lee finally opened the scoring Saturday by getting to the crease past Ryan McLeod, whose stick had snapped, to deflect Kyle Palmieri’s feed at 7:23 of the second period.
Lee then fed Simon Holmstrom on an odd-man rush as Holmstrom shot the puck past the outstretched glove of James Reimer (17 saves) to make it 2-0 at 9:28 of the second period. Holmstrom added an empty-netter for his second straight two-goal game.
The first period passed relatively uneventfully – with two high-danger chances for either side per NaturalStatTrick.com – though the Islanders did have an apparent goal overturned.
Matt Martin swiped in the puck at the crease at 12:52 but the Sabres (11-11-2) successfully challenged Casey Cizikas was offside. This despite the Sabres, who have lost three in a row, touching the puck last before it came over their blue line.
Notes & quotes: Jean-Gabriel Pageau (lower body) remained unavailable and listed as day to day . . . Pierre Engvall was the healthy scratch. Roy said he has been unhappy with Engvall playing too much on the outside in the offensive zone. “When he’s played his best, it’s when he goes to the net front,” Roy said. “When you start to play on the outside, I’m not as crazy about him when he does that. Sometimes just watching a game, hopefully that will send a message ... ” ... D Scott Mayfield was in the lineup after exiting against the Capitals in the third period when he was struck in the face by a shot. Mayfield did not require additional facial protection against the Sabres.
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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