The Skinny: New Jersey 2, Isles 1

"The Skinny"      

By Eric Hornick

Game 54

New Jersey 2, Isles 1

Michael McLeod converted a pass form Damon Severson late in the second period for the lead goal and Mackenzie Blackwood made 32 saves for his 5th straight win as the New Jersey Devils defeated the Isles  2-1 before a socially-distanced crowd of 1,400 at the Nassau Coliseum.

Anthony Beauvillier scored for the 13th time in 22 games, moving him within a single goal of the team lead but that was the Isles' only tally in their penultimate regular season game at the Coliseum.

The Isles remain in 4th place in the East Division and can now finish no higher than third.  The Isles now trail Boston by three points; the Isles have two games to play, and Boston has three. 

 

The Scoring:

1st Period

Pavel Zacha (16) Jesper Bratt (22), Nico Hischier (4) 14:11 NJD 1,NYI 0

2nd Period

Anthony Beauvillier (15) Scott Mayfield (13), Brock Nelson (15) 05:35 NJD 1,NYI 1

Michael McLeod (9) Damon Severson (18), Ryan Murray (14) 15:31 NJD 2,NYI 1

3rd Period

No Goals

The Skinny        

The Isles are 12-11-2 since the end of their 9-game win streak (and 12-game point streak) … The Isles have killed 34 of the last 36 opponent power plays; they have killed 46 of 50 at home this season (92.0%, 2nd all-time to Boston's 92.4% in 1998-99)…The team that has scored first has won 16 of the last 17 Islander games... The Isles have only five regulation wins in the last 22 games (two vs Washington and three vs. the Rangers)… Anthony Beauvillier extended his point streak to five games (5-1-6); Josh Bailey's assist streak ended at four games as he remains one assist behind John Tavares for 5th place on the all-time club list…The Isles are 1-2-1 in their last four home games after going 19-2-2 to open the season. 

The Playoff (Positioning) Chase  (all have clinched berth)

X-Pittsburgh 75 points/ 28 regulation wins (1 to play)

X -Washington 73 points/ 28 regulation wins (3 to play)

X -Boston         71 points/ 25 regulation wins (3 to play)

X-ISLES         68 points/ 23 regulation wins (2 to play)

Remaining Schedule:

• Friday – PHI @ WAS 

• Saturday - NJD @ Isles, NYR @ BOS, BUF @ PIT, PHI @ WAS

• Sunday – Happy Mother's Day (no games)

• Monday – Isles @ BOS, NJ @ PHI

• Tuesday – BOS @ WAS

Race for the Jennings (includes shootout losers)

1. Vegas    118 goals allowed in 52 games  2.27

2. Isles      124 goals allowed in 54 games  2.30

3. Carolina 128 goals allowed in 54 games  2.37

4. Boston   127 goals allowed in 53 games  2.40

Most Shutouts in a Season

• 11 2018-19 (82-game schedule)

• 10  2020-21 (56-game schedule)

• 10 1975-76 (80-game schedule)

The Isles will earn a shutout in at least 17.9% of their games this season, breaking the previous record (13.4% in 2018-19).

Longest Shutout Streaks in Isles History (Goalie)

1. Semyon Varlamov 2020-21 248:00

2. Glenn Resch 1975-76 178:29

3. Robin Lehner 2018-19 177:43

Longest Shutout Streaks in Isles History (Team)

1. 2020-21 212:35

2. 1997-78 199:14

3. 2014-15 193:48

Varly Solid

Semyon Varlamov is 12-7-2 in his last 21 decisions, allowing just 42 goals in that span.  Varly has won 19 games this season with a goals against average of 2.02 and save percentage of .930.  Varlamov has 251 NHL wins (passing Johnny Bower for 61st) and 34 shutouts, including an NHL-leading seven this season.

Most Shutouts by an Islander Goalie (one season):

1. Semyon Varlamov 7 (2020-21)

        Chico Resch 7 (1975-76)

Lowest Goals Against by an Islander Goalie (one season) (minimum 1000 minutes):

1. Semyon Varlamov 2.02 (2020-21)

2. Chico Resch 2.08 (1975-76)

3. Robin Lehner 2.13 (2018-19)

4. Ilya Sorokin 2.22 (2020-21)

Highest Save Percentage by an Islander Goalie (one season) (minimum 1000 minutes):

1. Robin Lehner .9297 (2018-19)

2.     Semyon Varlamov .9295 (2020-21)

3. Chico Resch .928 (1975-76)

4. Thomas Greiss .927 (2018-191)

Sorokin's Shining

Ilya Sorokin is 12-4-1 in his last seventeen starts. He has allowed two goals or fewer in six of his last eight appearances and in twelve of his last seventeen starts.

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. Ilya Sorokin 12 (2020-21)

        Chico Resch 12 (1974-75)

Most Shutouts by an Islander Rookie Goalie (one season):

1. Chico Resch 7 (1975-76)

2. Ilya Sorokin 3 (2020-21)

        Chico Resch 3 (1974-75)

(Resch appeared in 25 games in 1974-75 and thus was considered a rookie the following year; Sorokin turns 26 this summer so he will not have rookie status next season) 

Home Sweet Home

The Isles have earned points in 23 of their first 27 home games (20-4-3); it is their best home record through 26 games in the Post-Cup Era:

Most Points at Home Through 27 Games

• 46 1977-78 (21-2-4)

• 46 1980-81 (22-3-2)

• 45 1978-79 (20-2-5)

• 43 2020-21 (20-4-3)

Top of the Chart

The Isles now have 68 points in 54 games; it is one point behind 2014-15 for the most points through 54 games in the Post-Cup era:

• 69 2014-15

. 68 2020-21

• 68 2019-20

• 68 2018-19

Solid D

The Isles have allowed only 124 goals (including 3 shootout winners) in 54 games; it is the fewest goals that they have allowed through 54 games in their history:

• 124 (2020-21)

• 132 (2018-19)

• 132 (1975-76)

• 135 (1977-78)

• 135 (2003-04)

• 137 (1976-77)

Results vs. Each East Division Opponent

• Boston W-W-W-Wso-Wot-L-L Remaining games: 1  (0 home, 1 away)

• Buffalo W-W-W-W-W-W-L-Lot Remaining games: 0

• New Jersey W-L-W-W-W-Wso-L Remaining games: 1  (1 home, 0 away)

• Rangers         W-L-W-L-Wot-W-W-W Remaining games: 0

• Philadelphia Lot-Lot-L-W-Wot-Wso-Wso-Wot Remaining games: 0

• Pittsburgh         W-Lso-L-L-Lot-W-L-L Remaining games: 0

• Washington L-L-L-W-W-Lso-L-L Remaining games: 0

Home and Road

The Isles are 31-17-6 overall; they are 20-4-3 at home and 11-13-3 on the road.

New Jersey is 19-28-7 overall; they are 7-18-3 at home and 12-10-4 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 876-635-60-157 in 1,728 games. 

Most Coaching Wins

1. Scotty Bowman  1,244

2. Joel Quenneville  960

3. Barry Trotz  876

Most Games Coached

1. Scotty Bowman  2,141

2. Joel Quenneville 1,759

3. Barry Trotz        1,728

Sweet Lou

Lou Lamoriello has the second-highest win total for any general manager in NHL history:

1. David Poile 1,444

2. Lou Lamoriello 1,325

3. Glen Sather 1,319

It All Starts at the Top

Lou Lamoriello and Barry Trotz have 2,201 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 22-2-2 when scoring first and are 9-15-4 when allowing the opening goal. 

• At home, Isles are 14-0-2 scoring first and 6-4-1 trailing first

• On road, Isles are 8-2-0 scoring first and 3-11-3 trailing first

The Isles have won 84.6% of the games that they have scored first, which is the 3rd-highest percentage in the NHL (just behind Edmonton - .875 and Vegas - .871).   

The Shots

Isles    8-12-13=33

New Jersey    12-8-5=25

The Isles are 19-6-3 when they outshoot their opponents, 1-1-0 when the shots are even and 11-10-3 when they are outshot.  Under Barry Trotz, the Isles are 64-35-13 when outshot.

In the Nets

Semyon Varlamov made 23 saves but falls to 19-11-4 on the season and 7-4-0 in his career against New Jersey. 

Mackenzie Blackwood made 32 saves to improve to 14-16-4 on the season and 2-3-1 vs. the Isles. 

Special Teams

The Isles were 0-2 on the power play (3:33); New Jersey was 0-1 on the power play (1:33). 

The Isles are 13-5-3 when they score at least one power play goal and 18-12-3 when they do not.  The Isles are 6-10-2 when they allow at least one power play goal and 25-7-4 when they do not.

Three is a Magic Number

The Isles are 23-4-4 when they score at least three goals (including shootout winners) and are 8-13-2 when they do not.  Under Barry Trotz, the Isles are 88-9-11 when scoring three or more.

One-Goal Games

The Isles are 14-6-6 in games decided by a single goal including 6-6 in regulation. They are 4-3 in games decided in overtime and are 4-3 in shootouts.  The Isles are 0-1 in games in which an empty-net goal turns a 1-goal game into a 2-goal game.

Back-to-Backs

The Isles played eight back-to-backs this season, going 4-2-2 in the front-half and 4-2-2 in the back-half. 

 

Under Barry Trotz, the Isles are 21-4-4 (.793) 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: 20-8-3 (.694).

Series

The Isles are playing the same opponent in consecutive games sixteen times this season (including three-game stretches vs. the Sabres, Devils, Flyers, and Capitals).

  

In two-game series, the Isles are 4-7-2 in the first game and 4-6-2 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/Wot), BOS (L/L), NYR (W/W), BUF (L/Lot), NJ (L/-)

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

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

Ice-time Leaders

Isles: Nick Leddy (21:47); New Jersey: Ryan Murray (21:12)

Mathew Barzal led Isles forwards with 21:37 of ice-time. 

Isles record by ice-time leaders: Nick Leddy (9-6-1), Ryan Pulock (16-8-3), Scott Mayfield (1-1-0), Mathew Barzal (1-1-1), Adam Pelech (4-1-1).

Face-offs

Isles 30, New Jersey 19 (61%)

Travis Zajac won 6 of 7 for the Isles; Michael MacLeod won 11 of 16 for New Jersey.

The Isles are 19-10-3 when they win more face-offs than the opposition, 0-4-1 when they are tied, and 12-5-2 when they win fewer.

Hit Count

Isles 33 (Matt Martin-7)

New Jersey 16 (Two with 4)

Fights 

There were no fights.  Season total: 5 (Martin -2, Cizikas -1, Wahlstrom -1, Johnston-1)

 

Blocked Shots

Isles 19 (Noah Dobson -6)

New Jersey 24 (Ryan Murray -5)

For the Analytics Crowd 

Corsi: All situations: Isles 66, New Jersey 49

Corsi: 5-on-5: Isles 49, New Jersey 46

5-on-5 leaders:

Isles:  Adam Pelech +16

New Jersey: Damon Severson +5

High Danger Scoring Chances (per Natural Stat Trick)

All situations: Isles 13, New Jersey 9

5-on-5: Isles 9, New Jersey 9

Scratches

(Anders Lee-LTIR), Cory Schneider, Sebastian Aho, Andy Greene,  Brian Bellows, Jordan Eberle, Leo Komarov, Michael Dal Colle

Games Lost: 60

COVID Games Lost -6

Iron Man Club

Brock Nelson has played in 299 consecutive games and Ryan Pulock in 249; both have appeared in every game since Barry Trotz became the Isles' coach.  

Iron Man

Brock Nelson has the longest active streak (and the 3rd -longest in club history) while Ryan Pulock is 8th:

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

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

3. Brock Nelson 3/16/2017 – CURRENT 299

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

5. Mathew Barzal 10/6/2017- 5/3/2021 284

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

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

8. Ryan Pulock 12/29/2017 – CURRENT 249

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

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

 (*) 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: 2 successful, 1 failure (goalie interference 1/14 @ NYR, no goalie interference 3/11 vs NJ, goalie interference 5/3 @ BUF)

The Isles are 1-0-0 in games where opponents' challenges go their way and 1-1-0 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 917…

13. Stefan Persson 622 *** 14. Matt Martin 613 *** 15. Frans Nielsen 606 *** 16. Brock Nelson 602 *** 17. Kenny Jonsson 597 *** 18. Garry Howatt 596 *** 19. John Tonelli 594 *** 20. Casey Cizikas 588 … 

27. Kyle Okposo 529 *** 28. Cal Clutterbuck 527 *** 29.  Anders Lee 520 *** 30. Nick Leddy 516

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 166 *** 16. Josh Bailey 162

Assists

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

4. Clark Gillies 359 *** 5. John Tavares 349 *** 6.  Josh Bailey 348 …

17.  Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen 230 *** 19. Nick Leddy 196

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 510…

20. Ziggy Palffy 331 *** 21. Brock Nelson 325 ***  22. Anders Lee 320

Games Coached 

1. Al Arbour 1,500 *** 2. Jack Capuano 483 *** 3. Barry Trotz 204

 

Coaching Wins

1. Al Arbour 740 *** 2. Jack Capuano 227 *** 3. Barry Trotz 114

On the Farm

Bridgeport went 5-1-1-0 in their last seven games to finish their season with a record of 8-14-2-0 (4-7-1-0 vs. Hartford and 4-7-1-0 vs. Providence). 

Season Series Stats

The Isles lead the season series 5 games to 2 (and 10 points to 4). 

The Isles are 5-2-0 while New Jersey is 2-4-1.

The Isles are 2-1-0 at the Coliseum vs. the Devils and 3-1-0 on the road.  

UP NEXT

SATURDAY, MAY 8th  –NEW JERSEY AT ISLANDERS 7:00pm

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

The Isles play the final regular season game scheduled to be played at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum as they entertain the Devils on Saturday.

The Isles are 45-19-8 at the Coliseum since returning home in December 2019.

After splitting a pair of games in January, the Isles won all four games from the Devils in March to grab a 5-1 lead in the season series before dropping the Thursday 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