The Skinny: Isles 4, Boston 3 (OT)

"The Skinny"      

By Eric Hornick

Game 34

Isles 4, Boston 3 (OT)

Anthony Beauvillier scored in overtime for the second straight game as the Islander overcame a 2-0 deficit for a 4-3 victory over the Boston Bruins before a socially-distanced crowd of 2,191 at TD Bank Garden. 

The Bruins, playing their first game following a one week COVID pause, scored first for the fourth consecutive game against the Islanders but for the 5th straight meeting it was the Isles who eventually emerged victorious.

After the Isles rallied from a 2-0 deficit to take a 3-2 lead with just under three minutes to play on an Oliver Wahlstrom goal, Boston tied it 52 seconds later on a goals from Anders Bjork. Jean-Gabriel Pageau won the overtime face-off and the Bruins never touched the puck as Bruins relief goaltender Jaroslav Halak could not squeeze Nick Leddy's shot, allowing Beauvillier to become only the second player in club history to record overtime goals in consecutive games.

The winning goal came 21 seconds into overtime; it was the 2nd-earliest (regular season) overtime goal in club history. Pat LaFontaine scored 10 seconds into the extra session on November 5, 1988 (about 68:37 faster than a goal he scored 18 months earlier).

With the win, the Isles remain two points ahead of Washington and hold onto the East Division point lead with 48 points. The Capitals (46 points) have two games in hand and will play one of them on Friday as they host New Jersey.  The Isles are 2nd overall in the NHL, trailing only Tampa Bay (50 points).

The Scoring:

1st Period

Karson Kuhlman (1) Charlie McAvoy (15), Anders Bjork (3) 11:42 NYI 0,BOS 1

Steven Kampfer (1) Charlie McAvoy (16), David Krejci (16) 17:35 NYI 0,BOS 2 PPG

2nd Period

Jean-Gabriel Pageau (11) Scott Mayfield (7), Leo Komarov (3) 07:21 NYI 1,BOS 2

3rd Period

Josh Bailey (5) Brock Nelson (7), Nick Leddy (21) 04:33 NYI 2,BOS 2

Oliver Wahlstrom (9) Jean-Gabriel Pageau (11), Anthony Beauvillier (5) 17:04 NYI 3,BOS 2

Anders Bjork (2) Charlie Coyle (4), Chris Wagner (2) 17:58 NYI 3,BOS 3

OT

Anthony Beauvillier (5) Nick Leddy (22), Jean-Gabriel Pageau (12) 00:21 NYI 4,BOS 3

The Skinny        

The Isles have points in 23 of their last 27 games (19-4-4) and are 14-2-1 in their last 17 games.… The Isles have outscored their opponents 34-21 in the first period and 41-22 in the third period with their +19 differential in the third period remaining the best in the NHL; the Isles have been outscored 29-23 in the middle session… The Isles have 13 goals from rookies (Oliver Wahlstrom 9, Kieffer Bellows 3, Sebastian Aho 1); among East Division teams, only New Jersey (22) has more… The Isles defense had three assists (two by Nick Leddy and one by Scott Mayfield), giving them 63 – most in the East.  The defense has earned 38.4% of the Isles assists (2nd to Vancouver's 39.9%)… Anthony Beauvillier recorded his fourth career overtime goal (12/14/19 vs. Buffalo, 2/4/20 vs. Dallas, Monday vs. Philadelphia).  Beauvillier has four of the last five Islander overtime goals (Anders Lee 1/7/20 vs. New Jersey) and joined Sidney Crosby as the only players in the East with two overtime goals this season…The Isles improve to 3-6-1 when trailing after two periods… Jean-Gabriel Pageau recorded his 100th career goal and tallied at least three points in a game for the eighth time in his career and first time as an Islander; Pageau has points on five of the last six Islander goals…Nick Leddy's two assists give him 22 (6th among NHL defensemen); he now has 23 points, which is two more than he had last season…The Isles have won 4 straight OT/SO games after starting the season 0-4 in overtime/shootouts... Josh Bailey played in his 899th game, putting him in position to tie Bobby Nystrom for 3rd on the all-time Isles games played list on Saturday in Pittsburgh.

The Injury

Tuukka Rask left the game with an Upper-Body Injury after the first period and did not return.  Had the Bruins held the 2-0 lead that they had when he left, he would have been credited with his 300th NHL win.

Wahli's World

Since February 22nd, Oliver Wahlstrom leads the team in goals (8) and is tied for the team lead in points (8-6-14) with Nick Leddy (0-14-14).  Wahlstrom is currently riding a five-game point streak (4-2-6) .

Wahlstrom is also tied with Minnesota's Kirill Kaprizov for the most goals among NHL rookies since February 22nd and is third in the league in goals for the season with his nine goals trailing only Kaprizov (11) and Pius Suter (10).

March to Greatness

The Isles are 11-2-0 this month; matching the 1981-82 team  (11-1-2) for the most wins the Isles have ever had in March.

(Usually) Kings of 60

The Isles have won 18 games in regulation (out of 22 overall). Only Edmonton (20) and Tampa Bay (20) have more regulation wins.

Varly Streaking

Semyon Varlamov is 7-2-1 in his last ten games, allowing just 24 goals in that span.  Varly has won 14 games this season with a goals against average of 2.20 and save percentage of .923. This was his 246th career win, passing Kirk McLean for 65th all-time.

Sorokin's Shining

Ilya Sorokin has allowed only 11 goals in his last eight games (8-0-0, 1.35, .944); in that span the Isles have allowed only 198 shots on goal (24.8 per game) . Sorokin has allowed 22 goals in 668 minutes this season (1.97), and since January 24th he has allowed only 17 goals in his ten appearances (1.68).  

Sorokin, who already holds the Islander rookie record for consecutive wins, is the first Russian-born rookie goaltender in NHL history to record eight straight wins.

Towards the Top of the Table

The Isles have 48 points through 34 games, trailing only last year's team for most points over the last 40 years.

Most Points through 34 games:

• 53 1978-79 (23-4-7)

• 49 2019-20 (23-8-3)

• 48 1976-77 (22-8-4)

• 48 1980-81 (21-7-6)

• 48 1983-84 (23-9-2)

• 48 2014-15 (24-10-0)

• 48 2020-21 (22-8-4)

Home Sweet Home

The Isles have earned points in 15 of their first 16 home games (13-1-2), remaining tied with the 1978-79 team for the most in club history through 16 games:

Most Points at Home Through 16 Games

• 28 2020-21 (13-1-2)

• 28 1978-79 (12-0-4)

• 27 2019-20 (13-2-1)

Solid D

The Isles have allowed only 76 goals (including 1 shootout winner) in 34 games; it is the fewest goals that they have allowed through 34 games in their history:

• 76 (2020-21)

• 80 (2015-16) 

• 81 (1975-76)

• 82 (1977-78)

• 82 (1976-77)

• 82 (2001-02)

Results vs. Each East Division Opponent

• Boston W-W-W-Wso-Wot Remaining games: 3  (0 home, 3 away)

• Buffalo W-W-W-W-W-W         Remaining games: 2  (0 home, 2 away)

• New Jersey W-L-W-W-W-Wso Remaining games: 2  (2 home, 0 away)

• Rangers         W-L-W Remaining games: 5  (4 home, 1 away)

• Philadelphia Lot-Lot-L-W-Wot         Remaining games: 3  (2 home, 1 away)

• Pittsburgh         W-Lso-L-L-Lot-W Remaining games: 2  (0 home, 2 away)

• Washington L-L-L         Remaining games: 5  (4 home, 1 away)

Road Warriors

This was the sixth game in a stretch where the Isles are playing seven out of nine games on the road.  The Isles are 5-2-0 in this stretch:

• @ NJ W 3-2

• @ NJ Wso 3-2

• @WSH L 1-3

• PHI L 3-4

• PHI W 6-1

• @PHI Wot 2-1 

• @BOS 3/23 postponed

• @BOS Wot 4-3

• @PIT 3/27

• @PIT 3/29

Following this stretch, 12 of the final 20 will be at home

Home and Road

The Isles are 22-8-4 overall; they are 13-1-2 at home and 9-7-2 on the road.

Boston is 16-8-5 overall; they are 7-3-2 at home and 9-5-3 on the road.

Coach Trotz

Barry Trotz is second among active coaches, trailing only Joel Quenneville, in both wins and games. Trotz' NHL record is 867-626-60-155 in 1,708 games. 

Most Coaching Wins

1. Scotty Bowman  1,244

2. Joel Quenneville  945

3. Barry Trotz  867

Most Games Coached

1. Scotty Bowman  2,141

2. Joel Quenneville 1,738

3. Barry Trotz        1,708

Sweet Lou

Lou Lamoriello is the third-winningest general manager in NHL history:

1. David Poile 1,429

2. Glen Sather 1,319

3. Lou Lamoriello 1,316

It All Starts at the Top

Lou Lamoriello and Barry Trotz have 2,183 wins between them.  They start each game with more than any other pair in NHL history (David Poile and Peter Laviolette had 2,036 after their last game together).   Bill Torrey and Al Arbour had a then-record 1,462 at the end of the 1991-92 season, which was their last season together.  

First Things First

The Isles are 14-1-2 when scoring first and are 8-7-2 when allowing the opening goal. 

The Shots

Isles    6-12-7-2=27

Boston    10-13-9-0=32

The Isles are 14-2-2 when they outshoot their opponents, 1-1-0 when the shots are even and 7-4-2 when they are outshot.  Under Barry Trotz, the Isles are 60-29-12 when outshot.

In the Nets

Semyon Varlamov made 29 saves to improve to 14-6-3 on the season and 11-5-3 in his career against Boston.

Tuukka Rask made six saves but left after the first period due to injury.  Jaroslav Halak made 17 saves in relief; he is 7-5-2 on the season and 7-2-3 in his career against the Isles. 

Special Teams

The Isles were 0-1 on the power play (2:00); Boston was 1-4 (7:58).

The Isles are 9-3-3 when they score at least one power play goal and 13-5-1 when they do not.  The Isles are 5-6-2 when they allow at least one power play goal and 17-2-2 when they do not.

Three is a Magic Number

The Isles are 16-2-3 when they score at least three goals (including shootout winners) and are 6-6-1 when they do not.  Under Barry Trotz, the Isles are 82-7-10 when scoring three or more.

One-Goal Games

The Isles are 9-3-4 in games decided by a single goal including 5-3 in regulation. They are 2-3 in games decided in overtime and are 2-1 in shootouts.  The Isles are 0-0 in games in which an empty-net goal turns a 1-goal game into a 2-goal game.

Back-to-Backs

The Isles are 3-0-2 in the front-half and 4-0-1 in the back-half.  With Tuesday's game being postponed, the next back-to-back is scheduled for April 8th/9th, home games vs. Boston and the Rangers.

 

Under Barry Trotz, the Isles are 21-2-3 (.865) in back-ends. This is by far the best record of any NHL team in back-ends during this stretch.  Tampa Bay has the next best record: 19-6-3 (.732).

Series

The schedule as currently comprised has the Isles playing the same opponent in consecutive games seventeen times this season (including three-game stretches vs. the Sabres, Devils, Flyers, and Capitals).

  

In two-game series, the Isles are 3-2-2 in the first game and 2-4-1 in the second game:

NYR (W/L); NJ (W/L); WAS (L/L); PHI (Lot/Lot), BUF(W/W), PIT (L/L), PIT (Lot/W)

In three-game series, the Isles are 2-1-0 in the first game, 3-0-0 in the second game, and 3-0-0 in the third:

BUF (W/W/W), NJ (W/W/W), PHI (L/W/Wot)

Tired vs. Rested 

• The Isles are 4-0-1 when both teams played the night before. 

• The Isles are 1-2-0 when they are rested, and their opponents are not. 

• The Isles are 0-0-0 when their opponents are rested, and the Isles are not.

• The Isles are 17-6-3 when both teams are rested. 

Ice-time Leaders

Isles: Ryan Pulock (21:34); Boston: Charley McAvoy (22:31)

JG Pageau led Isles forwards with 18:42 of ice-time. 

Isles record by ice-time leaders: Nick Leddy (8-2-0), Ryan Pulock (10-4-3), Scott Mayfield (1-1-0), Mathew Barzal (1-1-1), Adam Pelech (2-0-0).

Face-offs

Isles 28, Boston 35 (44%)

JG Pageau won 14 of 23 for the Isles; Patrice Bergeron won 12 of 18 for Boston.

The Isles are 12-6-2 when they win more face-offs than the opposition, 0-1-1 when they are tied, and 9-1-1 when they win fewer.

Hit Count

Isles 29 (Cal Clutterbuck -5)

Boston 25 (Chris Wagner-5)

Fights 

There were no fights.  Season total: 2 (Cizikas -1, Wahlstrom -1)

 

Blocked Shots

Isles 13 (Andy Greene -4)

Boston 9 (Nine with 1)

For the Analytics Crowd 

Corsi: All situations: Isles 41, Boston 59

Corsi: 5-on-5 Isles 33, Boston 47

5-on-5 leaders:

Isles:  Ryan Pulock and Oliver Wahlstrom +4

Boston: Charlie Coyle +14

High Danger Scoring Chances (per Natural Stat Trick)

All situations: Isles 7, Boston 5

5-on-5: Isles 5, Boston 4

Scratches

Ross Johnston, Sebastian Aho, Cory Schneider, (Anders Lee-LTIR)

Games Lost: 25

COVID Games Lost -5

250-Game Club

The Isles have two players who have active consecutive game streaks of at least 250 games, and they are two of just 15 players in the NHL whose streak began no later than the start of the 2017-18 season.   

Ironman Streaks: Brock Nelson 279, Mathew Barzal 266, Ryan Pulock 229, Josh Bailey 187.  All four players have appeared in every game since Barry Trotz became the Isles' coach.

Iron Man

Brock Nelson now has the longest active streak (and 5th-longest in club history); Mathew Barzal is 6th on this list while Ryan Pulock is 10th:

1. Billy Harris 10/7/1972 -11/30/1979 576 (*)

2. Bobby Nystrom 1/7/1975 - 11/25/1978 301

3. Anders Lee 1/26/2017 – 3/13/2021 295

4. Matt Moulson 10/3/2009 - 4/4/2013 284

5. Brock Nelson 3/16/2017 – CURRENT 279

6. Mathew Barzal 10/6/2017- CURRENT 266

7. Denis Potvin 11/29/1975 - 1/17/1979 262

8. John Tavares 10/16/2010 - 12/23/2013 246

9. J.P. Parise 1/7/1975 – 1/7/1978 240 (**)

10. Ryan Pulock 12/29/2017 – CURRENT 229

 (*) Start of NHL career.

(**) Entire career with Islanders

Pulock's streak is the 2nd-longest by an Islander defenseman, trailing only Denis Potvin's 262-game streak.

Challenges

Isles: 1 successful, 0 failures 

The Isles are 1-0-0 in games that they are successful and 0-0-0 in games that they are unsuccessful.(offsides 2/16 @BUF)

Opponents: 1 successful, 1 failure (goalie interference 1/14 @ NYR, no goalie interference 3/11 vs NJ)

The Isles are 1-0-0 in games where opponents' challenges go their way and 1-0-0 in games that go the opponents' way.

Last Minute Heroes:

The Isles have scored one goal and allowed four goals in the final three minutes of the third period that were either the winning goal or forced overtime:

For: 1 [Anders Lee, 2/6/21 vs PIT (17:14) -winning goal]

Vs:  4 [Justin Schultz, 1/26/21 @ WSH (19:33)-winning goal; Evgeni Malkin, 2/11/21 vs PIT (19:42) – tying goal/PIT won in OT; Oskar Lindblom, 3/18/21 vs PHI (17:38)-winning goal; Anders Bjork, 3/25/21 vs BOS (17:54) – tying goal/Isles won in OT]

All-time Islander Leader Boards:

Games Played (skaters)

1. Bryan Trottier 1,123 *** 2. Denis Potvin 1,060 *** 3. Bob Nystrom 900 *** 4. Josh Bailey 899…

17. John Tonelli and Matt Martin 594 *** 19. Brock Nelson 582 *** 20. Casey Cizikas 568 …

27. Kyle Okposo 529 *** 28. Anders Lee 520 *** 29. Dave Lewis 514 *** 30. Cal Clutterbuck 510 *** 31. Richard Pilon and Mick Vukota 509 *** 33. Nick Leddy 496

Goals

1. Mike Bossy 573 *** 2. Bryan Trottier 500 *** 3. Denis Potvin 310 …

11. John Tonelli 206 *** 12. Billy Harris and Anders Lee 184 *** 14. Ziggy Palffy 168 *** 15. Brock Nelson 162 *** 16. Patrick Flatley 160  *** 17. Josh Bailey 159

Assists

1. Bryan Trottier 853 *** 2. Denis Potvin 742 *** 3. Mike Bossy 553…

6.  John Tonelli 338 *** 7. Josh Bailey 336 …

19. Pierre Turgeon 193 *** 20. Nick Leddy 190

Points

1. Bryan Trottier 1,353 *** 2. Mike Bossy 1,126 *** 3. Denis Potvin 1,052…

10. Bob Nystrom 513 *** 11. Derek King 499 *** 12. Josh Bailey 495…

20. Ziggy Palffy 331 ***  21. Anders Lee 320  *** 22.  Brock Nelson 314

Games Coached 

1. Al Arbour 1,500 *** 2. Jack Capuano 483 *** 3. Mike Milbury 192 *** 4. Terry Simpson 187 *** 5. Barry Trotz 184

 

Coaching Wins

1. Al Arbour 740 *** 2. Jack Capuano 227 *** 3. Barry Trotz 105

On the Farm

Bridgeport is 3-7-0-0 on the season (2-1-0-0 vs. Hartford and 1-6-0-0 vs. Providence) and trail Hartford by three points for second place in their division.

Bridgeport returns to action on Saturday when they visit Hartford.

Season Series Stats

The Isles lead the season series 5 games to 0 (and 10 points to 2). The teams are scheduled to meet April 14th and 15 in Boston and still have an unscheduled game to make-up. 

The Isles won five games against Boston between 12/31/2013 and the end of 2020; they now have won five games in 2021 against the B's.

The Isles are 4-2-1 in their last seven games in Boston.

UP NEXT

SATURDAY, MARCH 27th  – ISLANDERS AT PITTSBURGH 7:00pm

[MSG+ (pre-game at 6:30], WRHU 88.7 FM, WRCN 103.9FM, ESPN 1050]

The Isles head to Pittsburgh to close out the month of March with games on Saturday and Monday.  These will be the final two games between the teams this season.

The Isles went 2-0-2 at the Coliseum vs. Pittsburgh but dropped a pair of games in Pittsburgh in mid-February.

Ilya Sorokin blanked the Penguins in the teams' last meeting on February 28th (the 2nd of his two shutouts during his current eight-game winning streak). 

The Isles are 3-3-2 in their last eight games in Pittsburgh and need one win in these two games to set a club record for wins in the month of March (currently tied with 1981-82 at 11) and match the club record for any month (12 in November 1980 and February 1982).  

Eric Hornick has been the statistician on Islander home game telecasts since January 21, 1982. Information contained in "The Skinny" has been gathered from various sources.  Follow Eric @ehornick on Twitter & on his blog www.nyiskinny.com.

Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home telecasts since January 21, 1982. Visit my blog: NYISkinny.com and follow me on Twitter @ehornick