New York Islanders Open Winning Streak with 3-1 Win Over Winnipeg Jets

The New York Islanders are officially on their first winning streak with a 3-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets thanks to big games from Mathew Barzal and Semyon Varlamov.

The New York Islanders started their first road trip of the season with a game against the Winnipeg Jets. A Jets team that we know is weak defensively with Dustin Byfuglien out. But with Bryan Little also out, the Jets were weakened offensively.

Not to mention the Jets were riding a two-game skid where they were outscored 11-4. Things were looking good for the Islanders to open their first winning streak of the season. So long as they played full-60 minutes.

First Period

It just isn’t possible for the New York Islanders to leave the first period without going behind by a single goal. In Winnipeg, the Islanders once against costed their way through the first 20 minutes.

By the 13 minute mark, the Islanders were trailing 1-0 when Nikolaj Ehlers sniped a shot high-glove on Varlamov who couldn’t do anything but hope the shot would keep rising. It wouldn’t.

After one, the Islanders were trailing 1-0 on the scoresheet, 16-5 on the shot clock, and trailing 4-2 in high-danger chances. It wasn’t a good period for the New York Islanders.

But then again, the Islanders haven’t been good in the first period all season long. This is the fifth game in a row that the Islanders go into the second period down a goal. The season is only seven games old.

Second Period

The way this typically goes is that the Islanders coast through the first period, get scored on – at least once – and then come out strong in the second period.

But just like it was against the St Louis Blues, the New York Islanders came out flat in the second. Thankfully, Ben Roslivic tripped up Michael Dal Colle in the Islanders offensive zone and put the Isles on the power play.

On that power play,

Mathew Barzal

showed us a preview of his one-man Broadway show “From Ovie’s Office”. The Isles center riffled a one-timer – just like

Alex Ovechkin

– on Hellebuyck who couldn’t do anything about it.

The Islanders power play has looked wildly different than it was last season. Last year they were efficient 14.5 percent of the time after tonight they’re efficient 33 percent of the time.

Barzal wasn’t done. Picking up the puck on a 2-on-1, Barzal decided to continue his “shoot more” mentality and wristed it past Connor Hellebucyk for his second of the period.

Third Period

It was a lesson in game management from the Islander here in the third period. With Mathew Barzal giving the Islanders the lead in the second, Barry’s boy sought to shut down the Jets and try to capitalize on mistakes.

There wasn’t much else going on here. The Islanders tried to shut things down and for the large part they did just that.

With an empty netter by Josh Bailey, the Islanders now have a three-game win streak going. And it feels good.

Three Stars

1. Mathew Barzal: 2 Goals

Mathew Barzal took over in the second period. With goals two and three on the season, Barzal has six points in seven games. He’s looking more and more like that 2017-18 Barzal.

2. Semyon Varlamov: 32 saves, 0.970SV%

When the Islanders coasted through largely the first half of the game, Varlamov kept the Isles in it. With his 0.970SV% night, you don’t see too many “I want Lehner” tweets.

3. Josh Bailey: 1 Goal, 1 Assist

How well has Josh Bailey played right now? Through seven games, Bailey also has six points. If not for Connor Hellebuyck, Josh Bailey would have been at the center of Oliver Wahlstrom‘s first NHL goal too.