New York Islanders play best game of season despite loss

The New York Islanders played one, if not, the best game of the season against the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night.

The Isles dropped the game 4-3 in overtime. While getting a point out of the game was useful, it was the way the game unfolded that made the outcome far more valuable than the score itself.

The Isles were down 3-1 with roughly eight minutes to go in the third period.

Evan Bouchard and Connor McDavid made it 3-1, virtually sealing the win for the Oilers. But then, Anders Lee took over. Lee scored twice in the third to tie the game. In particular, Lee’s first goal was impressive. The Isles took advantage of a defensive miscue by Edmonton.

After the initial shot was saved, the rebound came to Lee. No one picked up Lee crashing the net, allowing the Islanders captain to fire at an open net. He didn’t miss to make the game 3-2. Then, Lee parked in front of the net, buried a shot that came to the doorstep to tie the game.

While Leon Draisaitl ended the game at 1:52 of the overtime frame, the New York Islanders’ resilience proved that this team can compete with anyone, even one of the most talented teams in the NHL.

But there was one player that defined the game. Had it not been for Ilya Sorokin, the game would have been a blowout.

Ilya Sorokin the difference-maker for the New York Islanders

Ilya Sorokin was brilliant. That’s all.

Sorokin made 38 saves. But it wasn’t just that he made 38 saves. Sorokin kept the Islanders in the game. Despite the 3-1 deficit, Sorokin stood on his head to give the Isles a chance to get back into the game.

Then, with the Isles pinned down in their own zone in overtime, Sorokin stood tall and held the fort until Draisaitl ended the game.

In short, the game could have easily been a blowout had not been for Sorokin’s strong play. Tuesday night’s game was more than enough evidence that Sorokin has returned to his Vezina-caliber form. Most importantly, having a netminder like Sorokin playing behind the Islanders gives the team the confidence to attack the game.

That’s precisely the reason why the New York Islanders were able to come back from a two-goal deficit in the third period.

Ultimately, the game against the Oilers, while a loss in the end, could have the makings of one of those matchups that open the door to a significant turnaround. As long as the Isles get their confidence going, they’ll have a chance to win every game.