Islanders: What was the best game in the 2021-22 season?

It's so easy to be down on the 2021-22 New York Islanders season. After recalling some of the worst games the Islanders played this year, it's time for a cleanse. Believe it or not, there were actually plenty of options to choose from when thinking back on some of the Isles' best performances this season. Looking on the brighter side of things, let's take a look at some of the best Islander games this season and determine which one was the best.

12/11/2021 vs the New Jersey Devils

How can we talk about some of the best games of the season without mentioning the Islanders' first win at UBS Arena? Okay so it took them seven tries to do it, but when they finally secured the first win, it was special.

The New Jersey Devils outplayed the Islanders in the first frame, despite the shots even at 10 on each side, leading 2-1 after 20 minutes. The next 20 minutes were all about the former Devils cashing in against their former club. Andy Greene tied things up at 8:33 of the second period. Mathew Barzal drew two defenders, dropped the puck behind him off the boards where Greene picked it up at the top right circle, and fired the puck past Akira Schmid over his pad and below the blocker.

Eight minutes on the dot later, Zach Parise gives the Islanders a 3-2 lead on the penalty kill, scoring his first goal of the season and first goal as an Islander 23 games into the season. It was an outstanding play by J.G. Pageau shorthanded, winning a puck battle and springing Parise for a breakaway. What made it even more special was how things came full circle for the Parise family. Parise's father, J.P., is a former Islander and to have Zach wearing the orange and blue in the first place is just special. The goal coming against his former club in their first trip to the Islanders' new arena was a fun touch, especially because it was the eventual game-winning goal.

Pageau wrapped things up in the third period adding an insurance marker for the Islanders halfway through the final frame. The first win at UBS Arena is a memorable one and is fairly in consideration for the best game of the season for the Islanders, but it falls just short of what's ahead.

03/17/2022 vs. the New York Rangers

Sometimes your most dominant game of the season isn't your best game. Why? Well, on March 17th, just a week after Lee scored his first career hat-trick, the Islanders took on their rival, the New York Rangers, at Madison Square Garden, arguably the grandest stage at the NHL level. It was another game where they analytically controlled the game, but it was much closer than their performance against Columbus seven days prior and that's what made it all the more thrilling.

The first period went scoreless as Ilya Sorokin and Igor Shesterkin continued their outstanding seasons. However, the first period should not have ended in a scoreless tie. At 5:22 of the first period, Artemi Panarin received a pass at the right circle and had a wide-open net. It seemed like a sure goal for a player of Panarin's stature, however, Sorokin made what feels like a save of the year snub, reaching back and diving across the crease with his paddle and swatting the puck away in mid-air. It was truly a jaw-dropping save and possibly the most memorable moment of the 2021-22 season.

Holy, yes! It might have been one of the best, if not the best, save I've seen in a long time, and I've been around a long time. But it doesn't surprise me. He's capable of it and he's showing reasons. He's so athletic. Nothing surprises me with him.

On the back of Sorokin, the Islanders took control of the next 40 minutes. Continuing a March to remember, Lee opened up the scoring on the power play just :49 into the middle frame. The Rangers Chris Kreider potted the equalizer on their own power play just over 13 minutes into the second period. Kyle Palmieri had points in five straight games heading into their Thursday night rivalry and he kept the hot hands going doing what he does best below the dots. Ryan Pulock took control of the slot in the Rangers' end, floated the puck towards the net and Palmieri deflected it past Shesterkin at 17:16 of the third period. Sorokin locked it down for the remaining two minutes and change for a thrilling victory over the Islanders' rivals.

I just thought it was a [heck] of a hockey game, from both teams. That was as fast as you're going to see it, especially the first period. You saw unbelievable goaltending on both sides. You saw commitment on both sides. You saw a good rivalry game. I'm going to say it was the most fun game of the year.

What makes this game the Islanders' best performance of the season is threefold. Of their best performances this season, not many came against playoff-bound teams, but the Rangers indeed made it to the postseason and the Islanders kept pace and then took control proving they're still the team many believe they can be. An added sweetener to this performance is the fact that it was a rivalry game. It's always a memorable win over a rival team and you won't find a bigger Islanders rival than the Rangers. And of course, the save. THE SAVE. You can't think of a game against the Rangers this season without remembering Sorokin's Matrix-like save. It wasn't their most dominant performance, but it was the Islanders' best performance in a thrilling game coined the "most fun" of the 2021-22 season.