New York Islanders move into fourth place with gutsy win over Ottawa Senators

The New York Islanders pulled off one of their gutsiest performances of the year, nailing down a 4-2 win over the Ottawa Senators. The win marked the second time this season the Isles have beaten the Senators.

Most importantly, the Islanders won the game while playing on back-to-back nights. On Saturday evening, the Islanders played one of their best games of the season, beating the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3.

The Isles were evidently gassed from the game against Carolina but managed to hold their own against Ottawa. In particular, the Islanders managed just 13 shots on goal. But those 13 shots were enough to get four goals.

The Islanders have now scored four goals in consecutive games, potentially signaling a turnaround for the team’s anemic offense. The four-goal outburst, which included an empty-netter, was highlighted by two power play goals. The power play tallies were critical as they allowed the New York Islanders to improve on the league’s worst power play.

But perhaps the biggest outcome from Sunday afternoon was the fact that the Isles are now tied with the New York Rangers for fourth place in the Metro Division. While the Rangers have three games in hand on the Islanders, it’s still good to put some separation between the team and the division cellar.

At this rate, the Isles could be on the verge of a run that pulls the club out of its funk and back into the Eastern Conference playoff conversation. As it stands, the Isles are slightly out of the second wildcard spot as the Rangers have more regulation wins than the Islanders.

With the Rangers in an apparent tailspin, the Islanders can quietly creep back into the playoff hunt and lock down a spot for good.

Ilya Sorokin ironman for New York Islanders

Ilya Sorokin emerged at the New York Islanders’ ironman this weekend. Sorokin started both games for the New York Islanders, the fourth time in his career he’s done that.

The NY Post reported coach Patrick Roy’s thoughts regarding the decision. In particular, Roy said that Sorokin “is in really good shape,” and that “I’m not nervous for him.”

Roy, a former goaltender, commented on how he played multiple back-to-back games in his career. Roy stated: “I almost felt better in my second game than my first game.”

The ironman effort from Sorokin made a huge difference this weekend. Sorokin’s efforts backstopped the Isles to consecutive wins. Most importantly, Sorokin gave the Isles confidence in the decrease while backup Semyon Varlamov continues to nurse an injury.

The hope is that Varlamov will be back on the ice soon, avoiding this situation down the road. But it’s great to know that if the Islanders need to rely on Sorokin to carry the load, he can make it happen.

Sorokin and the Islanders will get a much-deserved break on Monday before taking on the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night.