Colorado Avalanche Fall To New York Islanders 6-3

The Colorado Avalanche presented a significant challenge to every team they faced this season. They have only lost one game in regulation this season, and Colorado dominates several statistical categories. The New York Islanders won this game 6-3.

The Islanders beat the Lightning on Tuesday. The win broke the Lightning’s seven-game winning streak, while the Islanders improved to 2-3-1 on this seven-game homestand. This is an emotional game. It marks the return of Brock Nelson to Long Island. He played 901 games for the Islanders. Then there is the fact that Islanders Head Coach Patrick Roy both played for and coached Colorado. Did you think the Islanders had much of a chance in this game?

The Statistical Domination Of the Colorado Avalanche

The Colorado Avalanche came into this game having scored 10 more goals than any other team in the National Hockey League. They have also given up 10 fewer goals than any other team. Plus/Minus gives a player a rating of goals scored versus goals given up while he is on the ice. Plus/minus might be the best statistic to determine the value of the player. Colorado has the top four players in plus/minus in the NHL. Here is a scoring summary from the game.

In the first period, Kyle MacLean scored a goal for the Islanders, giving them a surprise 1-0 lead. This was a key fourth-line goal for the Islanders. Then Anders Lee scored for the Islanders, giving them a 2-0 lead. That is how the period ended.

In the second period, there were five goals, with the period ending with the Islanders having a remarkable 5-2 lead. Bo Horvat scored. That gave the Islanders a 3-0 lead. They took a 4-0 lead on an Adam Pelech goal. Then Colorado scored two goals. Both Valeri Nichushkin and Martin Necas scored, and the Avalanche drew to within 4-2. Then, Mathew Barzal scored on a power play, and the Islanders took a 5-2 lead. That is how the period ended.

In the third period, Colorado scored right away. Artturi Lehkonen scored for Colorado 90 seconds into the third period. That cut the Islanders’ improbable lead to 5-3. It also gave pause to all Islanders fans. But Casey Cizikas scored an empty net goal for the Islanders to make it 6-3.

Home Sweet Home?

The New York Islanders are 8-4-1 on the road and only 5-6-2 at home so far this season, coming into this game. That is the reverse of what we would expect. Roy insists that his team plays the same way at home and on the road. The Islanders have outshot opponents 170-94 in their last five home games, but have a record of 1-3-1 over that span and have been outscored 9-6.

Most of their shots have been low-quality and not high-danger chances. Roy said, “I feel like we play pretty much the same way. We might give more shots on the road than at home, but other than this, we are playing the same style of hockey. Does the puck bounce our way a little more on the road, yes. Maybe a little more. But we are playing really well defensively.”

News and Notes

• Ilya Sorokin was the starting goaltender for the Islanders tonight. This is the third straight game that Sorokin has started in goal. He is 2-3-2 with 2.95 goals against average, .918 save percentage, and one shutout against Colorado in his career. Sorokin has been much better of late, and he was acrobatic in the game Tuesday against the Lightning.
• As a bit of an update on an injury affecting the Islanders. Jean-Gabriel Pageau missed his fifth straight game on Tuesday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Pageau skated in an orange non-contact jersey for the second straight practice session on Thursday.
• The Islanders blocked 19 shots in Tuesday’s win. It was the most blocked shots in a game since the 22 blocked shot attempts from the Red Wings on October 23.
• The Islanders were outshot in the game on Tuesday. That marked the 12th time they have trailed in the category this season.
• The Islanders have killed 80% of their penalties in this six-game stretch at UBS Arena. This includes four games without allowing a power-play goal. They are doing fairly well. On the other hand, the power play is still struggling, going 2-for-34 (5.9%) in the last 10 games.
• The Islanders were so offensively challenged that they made Washington’s goaltender, Logan Thompson, look like the greatest goaltender ever.
• The Islanders are 0-1-0 against Colorado this season, falling 4-1 at Ball Arena on November 16. This is the second and last meeting between the Islanders and the Avalanche this season, thankfully for Islanders fans.
• Nelson came back to Long Island for the first time as a visitor on Thursday. He faced his former team, contributing an empty netter in a 4-1 loss for the Isles on Nov. 16 at Ball Arena. His 901 games played for the Islanders rank fifth in franchise history, and his 295 goals also rank fifth for the Islanders. Nelson said, “It’s still so familiar, it’s not home right now, but it was for a long time, and a lot of great memories. It’s fun being here to reminisce a bit; it’s crazy how much time has flown. I’m fortunate to have spent a great portion of my life here.”
• Lee scored in this game for the Islanders. Ironically, he tied Nelson for fifth all-time on the Islanders list.

Conclusion 

If the Islanders want to make the playoffs, they need points in most of their games. However, with Colorado having lost only one game in regulation this season, this was a tough assignment for the Islanders. They were able to fight to a 6-3 lead. Fans just hoped the Islanders would be competitive in this game. Unfortunately, they were not. Now the Islanders go on the road. They start against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday.