"The Skinny"
By Eric Hornick
Game 24
Isles 5, Buffalo 2
Mathew Barzal scored a highlight reel goal to key the Isles' first 4-goal second period since 2016 and Semyon Varlamov made 20 saves as the Islanders extended their winning streak to four and their point streak to seven with a 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres in the second of three consecutive games between the teams at Nassau Coliseum.
Jacob Bryson had opened the scoring with his first NHL goal just 33 seconds into play and that stood up until Barzal's goal 3:51 into the second started a three goals in 4:54 span.
The Isles are 11-2-4 in their last 17games and have moved two points ahead of Washington. The Isles have won nine straight games against everyone but Pittsburgh during that stretch.
The Scoring:
1st Period
Jacob Bryson (1) Brandon Montour (4), Jack Eichel (15) 00:33 BUF 1,NYI 0
2nd Period
Mathew Barzal (9) Jordan Eberle (6), Scott Mayfield (5) 03:51 BUF 1,NYI 1
Brock Nelson (7) Anthony Beauvillier (4), Ryan Pulock (9) 05:16 BUF 1,NYI 2
Cal Clutterbuck (2) Matt Martin (3), Adam Pelech (5) 08:45 BUF 1,NYI 3
Scott Mayfield (2) Casey Cizikas (6), Jean-Gabriel Pageau (6) 15:29 BUF 1,NYI 4
3rd Period
Sam Reinhart (9) Rasmus Dahlin (9), Victor Olofsson (10) 00:52 BUF 2,NYI 4
Anders Lee (11) Noah Dobson (8), Mathew Barzal (13) 02:15 BUF 2,NYI 5
The Skinny
The Isles have points in 15 of their last 17 games (10-2-4); they are 9-0-2 against everyone but Pittsburgh in that stretch… The Isles are 6-0-1 in their last seven games… The Isles have outscored their opponents 27-14 in the third period; the +13 differential is the best in the NHL… Cal Clutterbuck scored on his only shot and had five hits in his 500th game as an Islander… The Isles have dressed the same six defensemen in every game this season…Mathew Barzal is 3-4-7 in the last six games and is a team-best +10 on the season. Barzal also leads the team in points (22) and is second to Nick Leddy in assists …Anders Lee is 5-1-6 and is +8 in five games vs. Buffalo this season; he has seven goals in his last 11 games overall… Scott Mayfield had his first multi-point game since December 1, 2018 vs. Columbus (in the Isles' first game back at the Coliseum)… The Isles had points from 13 different players, including 11 in the second period alone; an Islander defenseman had a point on each of their five goals (1-4-5)… JG Pageau's assist on Mayfield's goal was his 199th NHL point; Pageau is 9-5-14 in 29 games vs. Buffalo…Jacob Bryson is the second opponent to score his first NHL goal against the Isles this season (Pierre-Oliver Joseph for Pittsburgh on February 6th)…The Sabres are 2-8-1 since returning from their two week COVID pause…The Sabres have lost five straight games in regulation (losing four of them by three goals) and are 0-5-1 in their last six games.
First Times in a Long Time
• Jacob Bryson is the first Sabre since Alex Mogilny (10/5/1989) to score his first NHL goal in the opening minute of a game. The last player to do so against the Isles was San Jose's Jeff Odgers, who did so at the Cow Palace on November 9, 1991.
• The Isles scored four goals in a second period for the first time since Super Bowl Sunday 2016 when they did so vs. Edmonton (2/7/2016).
• The Isles outscored the opposition in the second period by at least four goals for the first time since March 31, 2011 against the Rangers.
Kings of 60
The Isles recorded their 14th regulation win (all of their wins have been in regulation), tying Tampa for the second-highest total in the NHL (Toronto has 16, pending their Saturday night game). No other team in the East has won more than 10 games in regulation.
Longest Shutout Streak by an Islander Rookie
PLAYER START DATE END DATE SHUTOUT STREAK
Glenn Resch 12/2/1975 12/12/1975 178:29
Al Montoya 2/17/2011 2/21/2011 143:17
Ilya Sorokin 2/16/2021 3/4/2021 143:08
Glenn Resch 10/18/1975 10/25/1975 138:51
Anders Nilsson 11/21/2011 3/10/2012 136:15
*Note that Chico Resch played only 25 NHL games in 1974-75, qualifying him for rookie status in 1975-76
Varly Streaking
Semyon Varlamov is 4-0-1 in his last five games, allowing just 11 goals in that span (2.17, .929). Varly's goals against average on the season remains 2.10, which is the best in the East Division (just ahead of his teammate).
Sorokin's Shining
Ilya Sorokin has allowed only two goals in his last three games. Sorokin has allowed 13 goals in 361 minutes this season (2.16), and since January 24th he has allowed only eight goals in his five appearances (1.59). Tampa Bay's Andrei Vasilevskiy is the only goalie in the entire NHL with a lower goals against average (1.50) in that span.
Just Give Us a Chance!
The Isles have had just 26 power play attempts in the last 15 games, including none today. The power play is 9-26 (34.6%) in that stretch.
The Isles have had just 24 power play attempts in 11 home games this season. They are 9-24 on the power play at home (37.5%), including 8-16 (50.0%) in the seven home games against opponents other than Boston.
Home Sweet Home
The Isles have earned points in their first eleven home games (9-0-2). The 20 points match the most in the first 11 home games in club history; it is also only the second time in club history that they have opened the season with points in 11 straight. The Isles are the only team in the NHL without a regulation loss at home.
Most Points at Home Through 11 Games
• 20 2020-21 (9-0-2)
• 20 1984-85 (10-1-0)
• 19 1978-79 (8-0-3)
Longest Home Point Streak to Open a Season
• 23 1978-79 (19-0-4)
• 11 2020-21 (8-0-2)
• 10 2017-18 (8-0-2)
Solid D
The Isles have allowed only 54 goals (including 1 shootout winner) in 24 games; it is the fewest goals that they have allowed through 24 games in their history:
• 54 (2020-21)
• 57 (1977-78)
• 58 (1976-77)
• 58 (2019-20)
• 59 (2015-16)
They Can Score Too!
The Isles are the first team in the NHL with four players that have scored at least nine goals (Lee 11, Pageau 9, Eberle 9, Barzal 9).
Now That is a Top Line
The Islander top line of Anders Lee, Mathew Barzal and Jordan Eberle have combined for 29 of the team's 67 goals (43.2%). They have scored 24 of the team's 52 goals (46.2%) that were not scored on the power play.
Results vs. Each East Division Opponent
Boston W-W-W Remaining games: 5 (1 home, 4 away)
Buffalo W-W-W-W-W Remaining games: 3 (1 home, 2 away)
New Jersey W-L-W Remaining games: 5 (3 home, 2 away)
Rangers W-L-W Remaining games: 5 (4 home, 1 away)
Philadelphia Lot-Lot Remaining games: 6 (4 home, 2 away)
Pittsburgh W-Lso-L-L-Lot-W Remaining games: 2 (0 home, 2 away)
Washington L-L Remaining games: 6 (4 home, 2 away)
Lots of Home Cooking
The Isles are in a stretch where they are playing nine out of 10 at home. The Isles are 6-0-1 in this stretch, and have outscored their opponents 27-13:
• W BUF 3-2
• W BOS 7-2
• Lot PIT 3-4
• W PIT 2-0
• W @ NJ 2-1
• W BUF 5-2
• W BUF 5-2
19 in 33
This Isles are in a stretch in which they are scheduled to play 19 games in 33 days for the first time in franchise history. The Isles are 5-0-1 in this stretch.
Home and Road
The Isles are 14-6-4 overall; they are 9-0-2 at home and 5-6-2 on the road.
Buffalo is 6-13-3 overall; they are 2-7-2 at home and 4-6-1 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 859-624-60-155 in 1,698 games; he will coach his 1,700th game on Tuesday vs. Boston.
Most Coaching Wins
1. Scotty Bowman 1,244
2. Joel Quenneville 940
3. Barry Trotz 859
Most Games Coached
1. Scotty Bowman 2,141
2. Joel Quenneville 1,728
3. Barry Trotz 1,698
Sweet Lou
Lou Lamoriello is the third-winningest general manager in NHL history:
1. David Poile 1,425
2. Glen Sather 1,319
3. Lou Lamoriello 1,308
It All Starts at the Top
Lou Lamoriello and Barry Trotz have 2,167 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 10-1-2 when scoring first and are 4-5-2 when allowing the opening goal.
The Shots
Isles 11-9-9=29
Buffalo 7-5-10=22
The Isles are 11-2-2 when they outshoot their opponents, 1-0-0 when the shots are even and 3-3-2 when they are outshot. Under Barry Trotz, the Isles are 57-28-12 when outshot.
In the Nets
Semyon Varlamov made 20 saves to improve to 11-4-3 on the season; he is 12-2-1 in his career against Buffalo.
Carter Hutton made 24 saves but falls to 1-7-1 on the season and 1-5-0 in his career against the Isles.
Special Teams
The Isles did not have a power play (for the first time since January 7, 2020 at New Jersey); Buffalo was 0-1 (2:00).
The Isles are 7-2-3 when they score at least one power play goal and 7-4-1 when they do not. The Isles are 2-5-2 when they allow at least one power play goal and 12-1-2 when they do not.
Three is a Magic Number
The Isles are 10-1-3 when they score at least three goals (including shootout winners) and are 4-5-1 when they do not. Under Barry Trotz, the Isles are 77-6-10 when scoring three or more.
One-Goal Games
The Isles are 4-2-4 in games decided by a single goal including 4-2 in regulation. They are 0-3 in games decided in overtime and are 0-1 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
Including today, the Isles are 2-0-2 in the front-half and 2-0-1 in the back-half. This back-to-back continues at noon on Sunday, also vs. Buffalo. The next back-to-back is scheduled for March 13th/14th, both road games in New Jersey.
Under Barry Trotz, the Isles are 19-2-3 in back-ends.
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 and Devils in early March, vs the Flyers in late March and vs. the Caps in late April).
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 1-0-0 in the first game, 1-0-0 in the second game, and 0-0-0 in the third:
BUF (W/W/-)
Tired vs. Rested
• The Isles are 2-0-1 when both teams played the night before.
• The Isles are 1-0-0 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 11-6-3 when both teams are rested.
Ice-time Leaders
Isles: Adam Pelech (22:00); Buffalo: Jacob Bryson (20:48)
Mathew Barzal led Isles forwards with 19:04 of ice-time.
Isles record by ice-time leaders: Nick Leddy (5-1-0), Ryan Pulock (6-3-3), Scott Mayfield (1-1-0), Mathew Barzal (0-1-1), Adam Pelech (2-0-0).
Face-offs
Isles 21, Buffalo 22 (49%)
Casey Cizikas won 5 of 7 for the Isles; Cody Eakin won 5 of 6 for Buffalo.
The Isles are 9-4-2 when they win more face-offs than the opposition, 0-1-1 when they are tied, and 5-1-1 when they win fewer.
Hit Count
Isles 25 (Matt Martin -5)
Buffalo 31 (Matt Irwin -6)
Fights
There were no fights. Season total: 1 (Cizikas – 1)
Blocked Shots
Isles 13 (Scott Mayfield -3)
Buffalo 10 (Jacob Bryson -2)
For the Analytics Crowd
Corsi: All situations: Isles 49, Buffalo 50
Corsi: 5-on-5 Isles 49, Buffalo 47
5-on-5 leaders:
Isles: Mathew Barzal and Andy Greene +8
Buffalo: Eric Staal and Victor Olofsson +11
High Danger Scoring Chances (per Natural Stat Trick)
All situations: Isles 14, Buffalo 16
5-on-5: Isles 14, Buffalo 16
Scratches
Ross Johnston, Sebastian Aho, Leo Komarov
Games Lost: 19
250-Game Club
The Isles have three players who have active consecutive game streaks of at least 250 games, and they are three of just 16 players in the NHL whose streak began no later than the start of the 2017-18 season.
Ironman Streaks: Anders Lee 292, Brock Nelson 269, Mathew Barzal 256, Ryan Pulock 219, Josh Bailey 177. All five players have appeared in every game since Barry Trotz became the Isles' coach.
Iron Man
Anders Lee has the third-longest consecutive game streak in club history while Brock Nelson has the fifth-longest and Mathew Barzal has the seventh-longest. It is the first time in club history that three different Isles have had concurrent streaks of at least 240 games:
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 – CURRENT 292
4. Matt Moulson 10/3/2009 - 4/4/2013 284
5. Brock Nelson 3/16/2017 – CURRENT 269
6. Denis Potvin 11/29/1975 - 1/17/1979 262
7. Mathew Barzal 10/6/2017- CURRENT 256
8. John Tavares 10/16/2010 - 12/23/2013 246
9. J.P. Parise 1/7/1975 – 1/7/1978 240 (**)
10. Richard Park 10/5/2006 - 2/18/2009 221
(*) Start of NHL career.
(**) Entire career with Islanders
Iron D
Ryan Pulock has become the third Islander defensemen to play in 215 consecutive games:
1. Denis Potvin 11/29/1975-1/17/1979 262
2. Bryan McCabe 10/7/1995-2/4/1998 220 (*) (**)
3. Ryan Pulock 12/29/2017 – CURRENT 219
(*) Start of NHL career.
(**) Entire career with Islanders
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, 0 failure (goalie interference 1/14 @ NYR)
The Isles are 0-0-0 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 1 goal and allowed 2 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: 2 [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]
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 889…
17. John Tonelli 594 *** 18. Matt Martin 584 *** 19. Brock Nelson 572 *** 20. Casey Cizikas 558 …
27. Kyle Okposo 529 *** 28. Anders Lee 517 *** 29. Dave Lewis 514 *** 30. Richard Pilon and Mick Vukota 509*** 32. Cal Clutterbuck 500 *** 33. Ed Westfall 493 *** 34. Nick Leddy 486
Goals
1. Mike Bossy 573 *** 2. Bryan Trottier 500 *** 3. Denis Potvin 310 …
11. John Tonelli 206 *** 12. Billy Harris 184 *** 13. Anders Lee 183 *** 14. Ziggy Palffy 168 *** 15. Patrick Flatley 160 *** 16. Brock Nelson 157 *** 17. Josh Bailey 156
Assists
1. Bryan Trottier 853 *** 2. Denis Potvin 742 *** 3. Mike Bossy 553…
6. John Tonelli 338 *** 7. Josh Bailey 333 …
19. Pierre Turgeon 193 *** 20. Nick Leddy 182
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 489…
20. Ziggy Palffy 331 *** 21. Anders Lee 318 *** 22. Brock Nelson 307
Games Coached
1. Al Arbour 1,500 *** 2. Jack Capuano 483 *** 3. Mike Milbury 192 *** 4. Terry Simpson 187 *** 5. Scott Gordon 181 *** 6. Barry Trotz 174
Coaching Wins
1. Al Arbour 740 *** 2. Jack Capuano 227 *** 3. Barry Trotz 97
On the Farm
Bridgeport is 2-5-0-0 on the season (1-1-0-0 vs. Hartford and 1-4-0-0 vs. Providence) following a 4-1 loss to Providence on Thursday afternoon. Bridgeport's Saturday game with Hartford was postponed as the Wolf Pack did not have two eligible goalies. The Sound Tigers are back in action on Wednesday, hosting Providence.
Season Series Stats
The Isles lead the season series 5 games to 0 (and 10 points to 0). The teams will meet again at the Coliseum on Sunday, before finishing the season series in Buffalo on May 3rd and May 4th.
The Isles have won the five games by a combined score of 19-7. The Isles have won the last eight games with Buffalo and have also won their last eight home games against the Sabres.
UP NEXT
SUNDAY, MARCH 7th – BUFFALO AT ISLANDERS 12:00pm
[MSG+2 (pre-game at 6:30], WRHU 88.7 FM, WRCN 103.9FM, ESPN 1050]
The Isles play the third game of their five-game home stand, and the final game of their three-game series with the Sabres, as the Isles kick off Hockey Day in America as they entertain Buffalo in a nationally televised matinee on Sunday at 12pm.
This is only the second time in club history that they will face the same opponent in three consecutive games (also March 4th-8th-10th, 2012 vs. New Jersey) but the first of four times that they are scheduled to do so under the current NHL schedule.
This is the Sabres' final scheduled game at the Coliseum.
Kenny Albert and Ed Olczyk will call the game for NBC; it is the first time since March 13, 2017 that someone other than Brendan Burke will call an Islander regular season game.
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
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