Three key takeaways from the New York Islanders' first preseason win

The New York Islanders won their first preseason game 4-2 over the New Jersey Devils. In the process, the Isles spoiled Sheldon Keefe’s debut as the Devils’ head coach.

On the whole, the New York Islanders played a solid game. Coach Patrick Roy iced a lineup that included several regulars and sprinkled it with some players looking to push their way into the lineup. That lineup passed the first eye test and is looking good, especially in the third period.

So, let’s take a look at three key takeaways from the New York Islanders’ first win of the preseason.

Three key takeaways from the New York Islanders' preseason win over the New Jersey Devils

Maxim Tsyplakov looked terrific

Throughout the summer, there was plenty of speculation about what Maxim Tsyplakov could bring to the table. After being a standout at rookie camp, Tsyplakov has turned heads at the Isles’ regular camp.

But it was during this first preseason contest that Isles fans got to see what Tsyplakov could do. Tsyplakov hardly looked out of place during the game. He seemed cool and collected as he made key plays. The best one came on Julien Gauthier’s goal.

Tsyplakov barreled down the left side of the ice, finding an open Gauthier heading to the net. Instead of shooting, Tsyplakov rifled a pass across the ice, hitting Gauthier who buried the puck. Perhaps the most impressive part of this play was the speed with which Tsyplakov handled the play.

If he continues to play at this rate, Tsyplakov could be in the conversation for a top-six role with the Islanders this season.

The New York Islanders played a strong up-tempo style

So much of the chatter surrounding the Isles’ training camp has been playing at a higher tempo. Well, the Isles did so in this tilt. They came flying out of the gate. A good example of how well the Isles used their speed was Anders Lee’s goal.

Lee’s marker tied the game at one midway through the second period. The play started with a transition in the Islanders’ zone with Lee picking up the puck and skating out of the zone. Oliver Whalstrom quickly jumped into the rush, catching up to Lee and dishing out a give-and-go feed that led to the Lee wrister landing in the back of the net.

This goal was a solid example of the type of transitions Roy has preached to the team about utilizing. If the Islanders can keep these sorts of plays going throughout the season, the team should get plenty of scoring throughout the lineup.

The goaltending was encouraging

As expected, Marcus Hogberg got the start for the Isles. He was solid, giving up two goals on 17 shots. While he wasn’t lights-out, he played well enough to keep the Isles in the game.

Meanwhile, Jakub Skarek came in relief midway through the game, stopping all eight shots he faced. His performance was crucial to helping the Isles lock down the game in the third period.

It’s worth pointing out that the Islanders played very well defensively in the third, limiting the Devils’ opportunities. Eventually, Simon Holmstrom added an empty-netter to seal the deal.

With plenty of uncertainty behind Semyon Varlamov, Sunday night’s game provides an encouraging sign for the New York Islanders goaltending situation.