Max Shabanov stars in NY Islanders 5-0 blanking of Detroit Red Wings to end road trip

The New York Islanders didn’t just wrap up their longest road trip of the season on Thursday night; they delivered a 5–0 statement win in Detroit that blended dominance, discipline, and a breakout performance that has reshaped expectations for this team.

At the center of it all was rookie forward Maxim Shabanov, who entered the night with three career points and left with two goals and an assist, powering New York (12-7-2) to a 6-1-0 road trip — the club’s best seven-game swing in years.

Shabanov scored late in the first period off a clean faceoff win from Calum Ritchie, then put the finishing touches on the rout in the third with a dazzling individual effort, splitting Moritz Seider and Simon Edvinsson before lifting a backhand past Red Wings goalie John Gibson.

Ritchie, who continues to settle into NHL life with confidence, opened the scoring at 6:46 of the first period with a short-side shot off a 2-on-1, giving him goals in back-to-back games after a nine-game drought. Mathew Barzal extended the lead to 3–0 early in the second when his wrist shot banked in off a Detroit defender. Bo Horvat added his own marker at 5:04 of the period on a set-play one-timer from Ryan Pulock.

The Islanders’ structure was tight throughout, and Ilya Sorokin earned his first shutout of the season with 29 saves, looking every bit like the composed, confident goaltender Roy has been praising for weeks. Detroit (12-8-1), coming in on a four-game point streak, had no answers.

This was the type of road trip that forces a question back home: Is this Islanders team far better — and far more dangerous — than anyone expected a month ago? After seven games, six wins, breakout performances and a shutout finale, it’s hard not to think so.