Islanders 6 (EN), Maple Leafs 3: So you *can* do things right.

1 day ago  /  Lighthouse Hockey

Take a bow. For one night, anyway. | Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images


Under certain favorable conditions, at least. The New York Islanders combined a full return to health and a fatigued opponent to deliver perhaps their most complete game of the season in a 6-3 win over the Maple Leafs in Toronto.
This one was always a schedule “should win” with the Leafs traveling on a back-to-back and the Islanders waiting after a rare multi day rest, but with this season you never know. I was fully expecting disappointment.
But Anthony Duclair returned after his long layoff — crazy to think it’s just his sixth game — and was a helpful presence, Max Tsyplakov had a very effective night and neither of those two were among the “three stars” of the game. Making his 10th consecutive start, Ilya Sorokin made 26 saves.
It certainly helped that there were zero penalties called in the game, keeping the Islanders abysmal special teams from mucking things up. But it was somewhat illuminating to see them put together the kind of effort that they’ve long said they’re capable of.
[GameCenter | Game Summary | Event Summary | Natural Stat Trick | HockeyViz]


Mathew Barzal said a key for #Isles tonight was simplifying the offense. Coach Patrick Roy agreed, said Isles are much better when they play north-south.— Andrew Gross (@AGrossNewsday) December 22, 2024




The Isles got it started early with Tsyplakov following up a rebound at 1:47. Three minutes later it was 2-0 on a Bo Horvat goal, the first of three separate times the Isles would build a two-goal lead throughout the night.
Thorn-in-everyone’s-side William Nylander was responsible for denting two of those, scoring his 22nd goal in the first and his 23rd early in the second after J-G Pageau restored the lead to 3-1 before the first intermission.


PAGEAU PAGEAU PAGEAU PAGEAUPAGEAUUUUU PAGEAUUUUUUUU#Isles | @Ford pic.twitter.com/r9r4mf3lcp— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) December 22, 2024




After the four-goal first, Nylander’s second was the only goal of the second period.
Regardless of the promising first 40 minutes, entering the third with a one-goal lead seemed ominous given their season thus far. But the Islanders didn’t let up on the gas and regained the two-goal lead again early in the third. It came on Isaiah George’s first NHL goal, with great smiles and congratulations all around.


A special moment for Isaiah George! He's got his first NHL goal! : @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ ➡️ https://t.co/4KjbdjVctF pic.twitter.com/wD9ceMra7q— NHL (@NHL) December 22, 2024






Isaiah George, who grew up about a half hour from Toronto, said he's not sure how many friends/family were at the game. He said his parents were great in organizing that so he didn't have to worry. He estimated the figure as "a lot."— Andrew Gross (@AGrossNewsday) December 22, 2024




The Isles made it a three-goal lead halfway through the third, with a Noah Dobson wide pass-shot going in off Bo Horvat’s skate for Horvat’s second of the game. (After the game, they changed the scoring to Dobson; it did look like it might’ve hit only the defenseman’s skate and not Horvat’s, as they were locked together.)
It got a little interesting when the Leafs got one back three minutes later at 13:49 — following an unnecessary Adam Pelech giveaway — and took a timeout to remind themselves they still had a chance. Toronto put some good pressure on the rest of the way and with a sixth attacker. But the Isles even played that stretch...well enough to survive at least. Mathew Barzal scored his first goal since returning from injury, into the empty net to make it 6-3.
Quotes of the Night
“This is their best game for me in a long, long time. I can’t remember a better game this season.”
>>Butch Goring
“They never let up. You didn’t see the lulls tonight. It was close to a full 60.”
>>Thomas Hickey
Up Next
The Islanders have one more game before the Christmas break, hosting the Sabres on Monday night. Then they’ll have a home-and-home with the Penguins followed by a New Year-stradling home-and-home with the Leafs....

Read Full Article.