Capitals Beat Islanders 4-2 in Isles Home Opener

The Capitals are a good team that always plays the Islanders tough. In this game, it seemed like all the breaks went the Capitals’ way. The Islanders lost this game, but the big news was that the Islanders first overall draft pick, Matthew Schaefer, scored his first career goal. The Islanders scored two power-play goals in this game. They scored twice on the power play only four times last season. Will Matthew Schaefer inspire the Islanders this season?

Capitals Beat Islanders 4-2 in Islanders’ Home Opener

The Capitals ruined the Islanders’ home opener by beating them 4-2. It is going to be a long season after the loss to the Capitals, who always give the Islanders a tough game. In Particular, Alex Ovechkin gives the Islanders problems, and the Islanders do not like Tom Wilson.

Here is the scoring summary of the Capitals’ 4-1 win. In the first period, Washington scored two goals, and Martin Fehervary scored. Then Aliaksei Protas scored. Washington led 2-0. In the second period, rookie Ryan Leonard scored for the Capitals. They led 3-0. 

That goal was funny. It was not a power play goal, as it happened 6 seconds after the penalty expired. Nevertheless, Kyle Palmeri, who took the penalty, was frantically skating back to the defensive zone, and Simon Holmsrom, who was one of the penalty-killers, was without a stick and hobbled after being hit by a shot. Then Aliaksei Protas scored his second goal of the game. That one gave the Capitals a 4-0 lead. Anthony Duclair scored for the Islanders, making it 4-1.

In the third Period, Mathew Schaefer scored his first career goal. It was 4-2 Islanders.

Matthew Schaefer

The Islanders are most dangerous when Matthew Schaefer, the first overall draft pick, is on the ice. The game is not too fast for him, and he fared well against the Eastern Conference Champions from last season, the Washington Capitals. There is no question that Schafer should play the entire season for the Islanders. In this game, it was interesting to see Schafer on the ice with Ovechkin. They were both first overall draft picks. Ovechkin is 21 years older than Schafer. He scored his first NHL goal tonight, and in the third period, he was on the first power play unit.

Ilya Sorokin

Ilya Sorokin needs to play better than he did tonight. The Islanders lack talent and need their all-world goaltender to play his best to make up the talent gap. In past seasons, Sorokin has played a lot, over 60 games, and has grown tired. It is a bit concerning that he even played this game. Fans have to ask, would backup goaltender David Rittich give up more goals? Maybe he should have been in there. In this game, he made 21 saves on 25 shots.

Game News and Notes

The Islanders and Capitals will face each other four times this season.

The Islanders’ next play is on Monday, which is Columbus Day. Schools are closed, and there will be a lot of kids in attendance. It is Superheroes Day.

It is impossible to overstate how difficult the Islanders’ schedule is in the early going. They played the Eastern Conference regular season champions from last year, the Capitals. Then they host the team from the Western Conference that had the most points last year, the Winnipeg Jets. Then, they host the Western Conference Stanley Cup representative from last season in the Edmonton Oilers.

Conclusion

The Islanders lost this game against the Capitals, and it is going to be a long season. It might be a good idea for the Islanders to trade veterans (particularly those on expiring contracts, like Jean-Gabriel Pageau) for younger players and more draft assets. The Islanders already have two first-round draft picks in the first round of next year’s deep draft. They should fill those vacant roster spots with prospects. The idea is that they can lose with the roster they have; they can do no worse with prospects playing.  They host the Winnipeg Jets on Monday afternoon.