"The Skinny"
By Eric Hornick
Game 41
Rangers 4, Isles 1
Alexis Lafreniere and Colin Blackwell scored 3:56 apart in the second period to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead and the Islanders could never catch them, dropping a 4-1 decision to the Blueshirts before a socially-distanced crowd of 1,400 at Nassau Coliseum.
Andy Greene scored the only Islander goal, but it was not enough as Alexandar Georgiev made 31 saves to earn his seventh win in eight career starts against the Isles.
The loss, coupled with the Capitals' 4-3 win in Buffalo, drops the Isles back into a tie with Washington. The Penguins beat the Devils tonight; they trail both the Isles and the Caps by two points. All three teams have 15 games to play.
The Scoring:
1st Period
No Goals
2nd Period
Alexis Lafrenière (7) Kaapo Kakko (5), Filip Chytil (7) 06:05 NYR 1,NYI 0
Colin Blackwell (12) Artemi Panarin (29), Ryan Strome (25) 10:01 NYR 2,NYI 0
Andy Greene (1) Mathew Barzal (22) 14:53 NYR 2,NYI 1
3rd Period
K'Andre Miller (4) Jacob Trouba (10), Artemi Panarin (30) 11:48 NYR 3,NYI 1
Mika Zibanejad (14)EN 18:48 NYR 4,NYI 1
The Skinny
The Isles are 7-5-0 since the end of their 9-game win streak (and 12-game point streak) … The Isles are 4-7-2 against Pittsburgh and Washington (4-0-2 at home and 0-7-0 on the road); they are 22-4-2 vs. their other opponents…Andy Greene scored his 50th career goal and became the 380th Islander to score a regular season goal (he previously scored twice in the playoffs); Greene's goal raised the Isles' defense totals to 10-71-81 this season…Lafreniere's goal was the first scored by the Rangers against Semyon Varlamov in 146:05 of play this season; that is the longest Islander goalie shutout streak ever against the Rangers (Halak 122:00 in 2014-15 was the previous record holder)… Artemi Panarin tied the Ranger record for points in his first 100 games with the Rangers, matching Mark Messier's 137. His 93 assists broke Messier's record of 92. Panarin still has two games to go to reach 100...The Isles were not penalized in a game for the 17th time in their history and the first time against the Rangers. …This was the first Friday game the Isles have played this season and only the 2nd they have ever played at home against the Rangers (2-24-12).
Magic Number Time
The Islanders' magic number for clinching a playoff spot remains 21 (over the Flyers).
Varly Streaking
Semyon Varlamov is 9-4-1 in his last fourteen decisions, allowing just 33 goals in that span. Varly has won 16 games this season with a goals against average of 2.22 and save percentage of .921. Varlamov has 248 NHL wins and 31 shutouts, including four this season.
Sorokin's Shining
Ilya Sorokin is 10-1-0 in his last ten starts (1.77, .929). Among goalies who have played at least 10 games in that span, only Juuse Soros (1.34) has a lower goals against average.
Sorokin is 7-0-0 at home. He is the third goalie in NHL history to win his first seven career starts in one season (Harry Lumley for Detroit in 1944-45 and Jaroslav Halak for Montreal in 2006-07). Three others have won at least seven straight over multiple seasons.
Only one NHL rookie goalie in the last 39 years has won as many as eight straight at home in a single season- Semyon Varlamov did that in 2009-10 for Washington.
Most Wins by an Islander Rookie Goalie (one season):
1. Chico Resch 23 (1975-76)
2. Roland Melanson 22 (1981-82)
3. Kelly Hrudey 19 (1984-85)
4. Chico Resch 12 (1974-75)
5. Ilya Sorokin 10 (2020-21)
(Resch appeared in 25 games in 1974-75 and thus was considered a rookie the following year; Sorokin will be a rookie next season as well if he does not appear in 26 games)
Home Sweet Home
The Isles have earned points in 19 of their first 21 home games (17-2-2); it is their best home record through 21 games in the Post-Cup Era:
Most Points at Home Through 21 Games
• 38 1978-79 (17-0-4)
• 36 2020-21 (17-2-2)
• 34 Three times
Top of the Chart
The Isles now have 56 points in 41 games; it is the most points that they have had through 41 games in the Post-Cup era:
• 56 2020-21
• 55 2013-14
• 55 2019-20
Solid D
The Isles have allowed only 96 goals (including 1 shootout winner) in 41 games; it is the fewest goals that they have allowed through 41 games in their history:
• 96 (2020-21)
• 100 (1975-76)
• 103 (2015-16)
• 104 (1976-77)
• 104 (1977-78)
• 104 (2003-04)
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-L Remaining games: 4 (3 home, 1 away)
• Philadelphia Lot-Lot-L-W-Wot-Wso-Wso Remaining games:1 (0 home, 1 away)
• Pittsburgh W-Lso-L-L-Lot-W-L-L Remaining games: 0
• Washington L-L-L-W-W Remaining games: 3 (2 home, 1 away)
Home Cooking
This was the fifth game in a stretch where the Isles will play six straight games at home. The Isles are 4-1-0 in this stretch:
• WAS W 8-4
• PHI W 3-2 (SO)
• WSH W 1-0
• PHI W 3-2 (SO)
• NYR L 1-4
• NYR Sunday
Following this stretch, 8 of the final 14 will be on the road.
Home and Road
The Isles are 26-11-4 overall; they are 17-2-2 at home and 9-9-2 on the road.
The Rangers are 19-16-5 overall; they are 9-7-3 at home and 10-9-2 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 871-629-60-155 in 1,715 games.
Most Coaching Wins
1. Scotty Bowman 1,244
2. Joel Quenneville 951
3. Barry Trotz 871
Most Games Coached
1. Scotty Bowman 2,141
2. Joel Quenneville 1,745
3. Barry Trotz 1,715
Sweet Lou
Lou Lamoriello has the second-highest win total for any general manager in NHL history:
1. David Poile 1,437
2. Lou Lamoriello 1,320
3. Glen Sather 1,319
It All Starts at the Top
Lou Lamoriello and Barry Trotz have 2,191 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 17-1-2 when scoring first and are 9-10-2 when allowing the opening goal.
The Isles have won 85.0% of the games that they have scored first, matching Edmonton for the league lead and just ahead of Los Angeles (.846). St. Louis is the only other team with one regulation loss but their record when scoring first is 7-1-5.
The Shots
Isles 7-16-9=32
Rangers 13-12-11=36
The Isles are 16-5-2 when they outshoot their opponents, 1-1-0 when the shots are even and 9-5-2 when they are outshot. Under Barry Trotz, the Isles are 62-30-12 when outshot.
In the Nets
Semyon Varlamov made 32 saves but falls to 16-8-3 on the season and 8-6-2 in his career against the Rangers.
Alexandar Georgiev made 31 saves to improve to 6-5-2 on the season and 7-2-0 in his career against the Isles (one of the losses was in relief).
Special Teams
The Isles were 0-1 on the power play (2:00); the Rangers did not have a power play.
The Isles are 10-4-3 when they score at least one power play goal and 16-7-1 when they do not. The Isles are 6-8-2 when they allow at least one power play goal and 20-3-2 when they do not.
Three is a Magic Number
The Isles are 19-3-3 when they score at least three goals (including shootout winners) and are 7-8-1 when they do not. Under Barry Trotz, the Isles are 85-8-10 when scoring three or more.
One-Goal Games
The Isles are 12-4-4 in games decided by a single goal including 6-4 in regulation. They are 2-3 in games decided in overtime and are 4-1 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 tonight, the Isles are 4-0-2 in the front-half and 4-1-1 in the back-half. The next back-to-back is scheduled for April 15th/16th, both of which will be played in Boston.
Under Barry Trotz, the Isles are 21-3-3 (.833) 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: 19-7-3 (.707).
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 3-4-2 in the first game and 2-5-1 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), PIT (L/L), NYR (L/-)
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 4-1-1 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 21-8-3 when both teams are rested.
Ice-time Leaders
Isles: Ryan Pulock (23:16); Rangers: K'Andre Miller (23:53)
Anthony Beauvillier led Isles forwards with 18:40 of ice-time.
Isles record by ice-time leaders: Nick Leddy (9-3-0), Ryan Pulock (13-6-3), Scott Mayfield (1-1-0), Mathew Barzal (1-1-1), Adam Pelech (2-0-0).
Face-offs
Isles 29, Rangers 29 (50%)
Casey Cizikas won 11 of the for the Isles; Kevin Rooney won 5 of 8 for the Rangers.
The Isles are 15-6-2 when they win more face-offs than the opposition, 0-2-1 when they are tied, and 10-3-1 when they win fewer.
Hit Count
Isles 21 (Cal Clutterbuck -4)
Rangers 12 (Four with 2)
Fights
There were no fights. Season total: 4 (Cizikas -1, Wahlstrom -1, Martin -1, Johnston-1)
Blocked Shots
Isles 10 (Two with 2)
Rangers 16 (Jacob Trouba -5)
For the Analytics Crowd
Corsi: All situations: Isles 58, Rangers 51
Corsi: 5-on-5: Isles 49, Rangers 50
5-on-5 leaders:
Isles: Adam Pelech +6
The Rangers: Artemi Panarin +8
High Danger Scoring Chances (per Natural Stat Trick)
All situations: Isles 10, Rangers 10
5-on-5: Isles 9, Rangers 10
The Isles lead the NHL with 414 high-danger chances 5-on-5 and are 2nd in all-situation high-danger chances with 513.
Scratches
Ross Johnston, Sebastian Aho, Cory Schneider, (Anders Lee-LTIR), (Michael DalColle -IR)
Games Lost: 40
COVID Games Lost -6
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 14 players in the NHL whose streak began no later than the start of the 2017-18 season.
Ironman Streaks: Brock Nelson 286, Mathew Barzal 273, Ryan Pulock 236, Josh Bailey 194. All four players have appeared in every game since Barry Trotz became the Isles' coach.
Iron Man
Brock Nelson has the longest active streak (and now has the 4th-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. Brock Nelson 3/16/2017 – CURRENT 286
5. Matt Moulson 10/3/2009 - 4/4/2013 284
6. Mathew Barzal 10/6/2017- CURRENT 273
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 236
(*) 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. Josh Bailey 906…
14. Frans Nielsen 606 *** 15. Matt Martin 601 *** 16. Kenny Jonsson 597 *** 17. Garry Howatt 596 *** 18. John Tonelli 594 ***19. Brock Nelson 589 *** 20. Casey Cizikas 575 …
27. Kyle Okposo 529 *** 28. Anders Lee 520 *** 29. Cal Clutterbuck 517 *** 30. Dave Lewis 514 *** 31. Richard Pilon and Mick Vukota 509 *** 33. Nick Leddy 503
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 165 *** 16. Patrick Flatley and Josh Bailey 160
Assists
1. Bryan Trottier 853 *** 2. Denis Potvin 742 *** 3. Mike Bossy 553 ***
4. Clark Gillies 359 *** 5. John Tavares 349 *** 6. Josh Bailey 340 …
19. Pierre Turgeon 193 *** 20. Nick Leddy 192
Points
1. Bryan Trottier 1,353 *** 2. Mike Bossy 1,126 *** 3. Denis Potvin 1,052…
9. Bob Bourne 542 *** 10. Bob Nystrom 513 *** 11. Josh Bailey 500…
20. Ziggy Palffy 331 *** 21. Anders Lee 320 *** 22. Brock Nelson 319
Games Coached
1. Al Arbour 1,500 *** 2. Jack Capuano 483 *** 3. Mike Milbury 192 *** 4. Barry Trotz 191
Coaching Wins
1. Al Arbour 740 *** 2. Jack Capuano 227 *** 3. Barry Trotz 109
On the Farm
Bridgeport is 3-11-1-0 on the season (2-3-0-0 vs. Hartford and 1-7-1-0 vs. Providence) following a 7-2 loss to the Wolfpack on Wednesday.
Bridgeport returns to action on Tuesday when they host Hartford.
Season Series Stats
The season series is even 2 games to 2 (and 4 points to 4).
The Isles are 2-2-0 and the Rangers are 2-2-0.
The Rangers have won five straight games at the Coliseum (Isles are 0-4-1); dating back to their final two visit in the 2014-15 season. The Rangers won both games on Long Island last season.
UP NEXT
SUNDAY, APRIL 11th – RANGERS AT ISLANDERS 7:00pm
[MSG+ [pre-game at 6:30], WRHU 88.7 FM, WRCN 103.9FM, WNYM 970]
The Isles will look to earn a split of the weekend series as they entertain the Rangers on the 46th anniversary of one of their most famous games. JP Parise scored 11 seconds into overtime on April 11, 1975 at The Garden to eliminate the Rangers in the opening round of the playoffs.
Ironically, the Isles have never scored a regular season overtime goal over the Rangers at the Coliseum (the Isles are 6-0 in playoff overtime games against the Rangers, including 3-0 at the Coliseum).
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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