The Upshot: Pageau, Barzal lift Islanders past the Blue Jackets, 2-1

HOW IT HAPPENED

JG Pageau had a goal and an assist, and Mathew Barzal scored a power-play goal as the Islanders sent the Columbus Blue Jackets to their seventh straight loss with a 2-1 win at UBS Arena on Thursday night. Ilya Sorokin made 20 saves for the Isles (21-14-2), who have won three straight.

Joonas Korpisalo made 34 saves for the Blue Jackets (10-22-2), who have been outscored 26-10 during their losing streak. Emil Bemstrom scored for Columbus with just 22 seconds to spoil Sorokin’s shutout bid.

WHAT WENT RIGHT

The Islanders' penalty kill continued to stand strong tonight and do its job to keep the Islanders in this game and hold their lead. With one penalty kill in the first period and one in the second, the Islanders' penalty kill continued to play like the best penalty kill, on home ice, in the league.

In the middle of the second period, Pageau scored his eighth goal of the year, putting the Islanders ahead, 1-0. This goal came off a Hudson Fasching assist. Fasching got the puck on the net, but it didn't go in, which led to Pageau finishing it off. Fasching has been playing incredibly since being brought up from Bridgeport. In just nine games played this season, Fasching has four points off of two goals and two assists.

"The coaches in Bridgeport have done a great job of preparing them and getting them ready so that when they do come here the transition can be seamless. Fasching fits in really well with Pageau and Parise. Real responsible guy and continues to play well."

- Lane Lambert on the call-ups

Late in the second period, Barzal finally picked up the Islanders' first powerplay goal in 27 attempts. Although the Islanders' powerplay was non-existent in all of the first period, things turned around in the second period as the Islanders finally capitalized on the man advantage. Thanks to an assist by Brock Nelson, Barzal would give the Islanders the two-goal lead.

WHAT WENT WRONG

The Islanders would go on the powerplay twice in the first period. Unfortunately, these were both about as ugly as it gets. The Islanders lost the puck multiple times in their own zone, and even almost gave up multiple shorthanded goals. They were 0-for-25 on the powerplay over their last eight games coming into tonight's game against Columbus.

STATS OF THE GAME

Islanders forward Casey Cizikas played in his 700th career game tonight. All but two of those games Cizikas played, were at center. Cizikas played two games in his career as right wing.

With tonight's win, the Islanders are now 14-4 when they score first in a hockey game.

SOCIAL MEDIA MOMENT OF THE GAME

Another special guest was in the house for the Islanders. One of the most popular MLB insiders, and an MLB on FOX reporter, Ken Rosenthal joined the Islanders inside UBS Arena to help cheer on the blue and orange in their game against Columbus.

WHAT'S NEXT

The Islanders next take the ice on Sunday, Jan. 1st as they begin a four-game road stand against the Seattle Kraken at 8:00 PM EST.