The Skinny: Utah 5, Isles 4 (OT)

"The Skinny"

By Eric Hornick

Game 1

Utah 5, Isles 4 (OT)   

Dylan Guenther became the first player in 107 years to record consecutive multi-goal games in the first two games of a franchise history as he scored 2:18 into overtime to give Utah a 5-4 victory over the Isles before a sellout crowd of 17,255 at UBS Arena. 

The overtime loss spoiled the NHL debut of Maxim Tsyplakov, who scored with 2:07 to play to give the Isles the lead, only to have Josh Doan tie the score thirteen seconds later. Anthony Duclair had a goal and an assist in his Islander debut.

The Isles are 0-0-1 on the season and head to Dallas on Saturday to begin a three-game road trip. 

The Scoring:  

1st Period

Anthony Duclair (1) Noah Dobson (1), Mathew Barzal (1) 11:10 UTA 0,NYI 1 PPG

Lawson Crouse (2) Matias Maccelli (1), Logan Cooley (3) 19:01 UTA 1,NYI 1 PPG

2nd Period

Barrett Hayton (2) Mikhail Sergachev (2), Clayton Keller (1) 13:07 UTA 2,NYI 1

3rd Period

Bo Horvat (1) Anthony Duclair (1), Noah Dobson (2) 01:03 UTA 2,NYI 2

Jean-Gabriel Pageau (1) Simon Holmstrom (1) 06:52 UTA 2,NYI 3 SHG

Dylan Guenther (3) Clayton Keller (2), Mikhail Sergachev (3) 07:37 UTA 3,NYI 3 PPG

Maxim Tsyplakov (1) Brock Nelson (1), Kyle Palmieri (1) 17:53 UTA 3,NYI 4

Josh Doan (1) Alex Kerfoot (1), Lawson Crouse (1) 18:06 UTA 4,NYI 4

OT

Dylan Guenther (4) Sean Durzi (2), Logan Cooley (4) 02:18 UTA 5,NYI 4

The Skinny     

The Isles had the lead three separate times but allowed tying goals 7:51, 0:45 and 0:13 later…The Isles 14-26-12 (.385) Opening Night record is the second-worst among current teams who have played more than three openers (Seattle is 0-3-1). Anaheim has the worst record on opening night of any other team: 10-19-0 (.345), pending their game tomorrow. This was Patrick Roy's first Opening Night as the Isles' head coach; he went 1-2-0 in three Openers with Colorado…Maxim Tsyplakov is the 22nd Islander to score in his first NHL game; Duane Sutter and AHL President Scott Howson are the only ones to score twice…Jean-Gabriel Pageau has scored at least one shorthanded goal in every full season as an Islander and in six straight seasons overall; among active players only Brad Marchand (36) has more career shorthanded goals than Pageau (21)…Anthony Duclair had a goal and an assist in his Islander debut…Brock Nelson has 13 points in season-openers, one shy of Bryan Trottier's club record (14).

Record-Setter   First Since JT

Maxim Tsyplakov played 20:46, most by an Islander in his first NHL game since John Tavares in 2009; only seven rookie forward leaguewide have played more in their debut contest in the Real Time Era.

First Time in a Long Time

Utah's ten goals through two games are the most by an expansion team since the 1967-68 Oakland Seals scored eleven.

The Openers

The Isles are 2-4-1 in their last seven home openers, including 1-2-1 at UBS Arena. 

Milestone Men     

Mathew Barzal recorded his 443 points, tying Billy Harris for 16th place in club history.

Coach Roy

Since Patrick Roy took over the Islanders on January 20, 2024, the Isles are 20-12-6 and have allowed only two goals or fewer in 15 of their 20 wins. Ilya Sorokin is 11-8-3 under Roy while Semyon Varlamov is 9-4-3.

Overtime is Our Time

The Isles have played 1 overtime game. They are 0-1 in games decided by an overtime goal, and they are 0-0 in shootouts. Ilya Sorokin is 0-0 in overtime and 0-0 in shootouts, while Semyon Varlamov is 0-1 in overtime and 0-0 in shootouts. 

Empty Netters 

The Isles have scored 0 empty-net goals and allowed 0.

Killing Their Own PP

The Isles have taken a penalty to interrupt their power play 0 times this season.

Building on a Lead

The Islanders have had a two-goal lead 0 times this season:

• Score the next goal: 0 times

• Allowed the next goal: 0 times

• Game ended with 2-goal difference: 0 times 

Last Year vs. This Year

• 2024-25  0-0-1 for 1 point in 1 game

• 2023-24  1-0-0 for 2 points in 1 game

Offense from Defense

• Today:   0-2-2

• Season: 0-2-2

• Last Season (Final) 33-137-170

The 137 assists are the most since 2006-07, when they also had 137.

Varly, Varly

Semyon Varlamov has 41 career shutouts and 286 career wins. Among active NHL goalies (and excluding Carey Price, who is technically still active), Varlamov is seventh in wins and fourth in shutouts.

All-time Goalie Wins

47. Ed Giacomin 290

48. Jose Theodore 286

      Dan Bouchard 286

      Semyon Varlamov 286

Home and Road

The Isles are 0-0-1 overall; they are 0-0-1 at home and 0-0-0 on the road.

Utah is 2-0-0 overall; they are 1-0-0 at home and 1-0-0 on the road

East and West

The Isles are 0-0-0 against the East (0-0-0 vs. Metropolitan and 0-0-0 vs. Atlantic) and 0-0-1 against the West (0-0-1 vs. Central and 0-0-0 vs. Pacific).

Home is Where the Fans Are

The Isles have played 123 games at UBS Arena and recorded 90 sellouts of 17,255. 

Sweet Lou

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

1. David Poile 1,531

2. Lou Lamoriello 1,444

3. Glen Sather 1,319

Leaders of the Pack

Lou Lamoriello (1,444) and Patrick Roy (150) have combined for 1,594 career wins as general manager and coach. That is the highest in the NHL among active combinations by a wide margin.

First Things First

The Isles are 0-0-1 when scoring first and are 0-0-0 when allowing the opening goal. 

The Shots

Isles 10-6-9-0=25

Utah 6-9-8-3=26

The Isles are 0-0-0 when they outshoot their opponents, 0-0-0 when the shots are even and 0-0-1 when the opposition has more shots.

In the Nets

Semyon Varlamov made 21 saves; he is 0-0-1 on the season and 0-0-1 vs. Utah.

Connor Ingram made 21 saves; he is 2-0-0 on the season and 1-1-0 vs the Isles.

Special Teams

The Isles were 1-6 on the power play (10:56); Utah was 2-2 on the power play (1:40), allowing a shorthanded goal to J-G Pageau.

The Isles are 0-0-1 when they score at least one power play goal and 0-0-0 when they do not. The Isles are 0-0-1 when they allow at least one power play goal and 0-0-0 when they do not.

Three is (Usually) a Magic Number

The Isles are 0-0-1 when they score at least three goals (including shootout winners) and are 0-0-0 when they do not. 

One-Goal Games

The Isles are 0-0-1 in games decided by a single goal including 0-0 in regulation. They are 0-1 in games decided in overtime and are 0-0 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 0-0-0 on the front end and 0-0-0 on the back end this season. The first back-to-back will be: on October 25th in New Jersey and October 26th vs. Florida.

Fewest Wins on Back-end

0 1972-73 (0-22-3)

1 2023-24 (1-6-3)

2 2012-13 (1-5-1; 48-game schedule)

3 1994-95 (2-3-3; 48-game schedule)

Ice-time Leaders

Isles: Noah Dobson (24:39); Utah: Sean Durzi (25:14)

Mathew Barzal led Islander forwards with 22:48 of ice-time. 

Isles record by ice-time leaders: Noah Dobson (0-0-1).

Face-offs

Isles 32, Utah 37 (46%)

Jean-Gabriel Pageau won 8 of 13 for the Isles; Kevin Stenlund won 14 of 20 for Utah.

Hit Count

Isles 20 (Maxim Tsyplakov-6)

Utah 13 (Five with 2)

Fights 

None. Season total: 0

 

Blocked Shots

Isles 20 (Two with 4)

Utah 19 (Sean Durzi -4)

For the Analytics Crowd 

Corsi: All situations: Isles 61, Utah 58

Corsi: 5-on-5: Isles 41, Utah 53

 

5-on-5 leaders:

Isles:  Scott Mayfield +7

Utah:  Three with +9

High Danger Scoring Chances (per Natural Stat Trick)

All situations: Isles 12, Utah 14

5-on-5: Isles 4, Utah 13

Scratches

Dennis Cholowski, Julien Gauthier

Games Lost to injury: 0.   (Last season's total: 181)

The Ironmen

Brock Nelson is the Islanders' ironman, having played 167 consecutive games. Kyle Palmieri (117) and Jean-Gabriel Pageau (97) also played every game since the start of last season.

Most Overtime Goals, Season (Islanders)

1. John Tavares 4 (2014-15)

2. Bo Horvat 3 (2023-24)

Brock Nelson 3 (2019-20)

John Tavares 3 (2010-11)

Most Overtime Assists, Career (Islanders)

1. Mathew Barzal 15

2. John Tavares 12

Most Overtime Points, Career (Islanders)

1. John Tavares 23

2. Mathew Barzal 20

3. Brock Nelson 18

Barzal has a point on 20 of the 39 overtime goals that the Isles have scored since he became a regular in 2016-17.

National TV Games 

The Isles are 0-0-0 in games that air on one of the NHL's US national broadcast partners, with ten games remaining. The first national game will be streamed December 5th on ESPN+/Hulu, as the Isles host Seattle. The Isles have five national telecasts scheduled through the end of March, with the other five all scheduled in April.

Matinee Isles

The Isles are 0-0-0 in matinee games this season, with 11 games remaining. The first matinee will be on November 3rd at MSG. The NHL considers games that start before 5:00 local time to be afternoon games. Since the start of the 2019-20 season, the Isles are 13-13-10 in matinees.

Challenges

Isles: 0 successful, 0 failures 

Opponents: 0 successful, 1 failures (No Goalie Interference -Utah 10/11)

Quickies (Two goals in under a minute)

For (0):

Vs (0): 

Quick Responses (One team scoring within a minute of other team)

Isles responses (0):

Opponent responses (2): Utah 10/11 (2)

Multi-Goal 3rd Period Comeback Wins 

For (0):

Vs (0): 

Last Minute Heroes (Tying or go-ahead goals in the final three minutes of the third period):

For (1): Maxim  Tsyplakov 10/12 vs. Utah (17:53, go-ahead goal but lost in OT)

Vs (1): Josh Doan 10/12 vs. Utah (18:06- GTG; Utah won in OT)

OT Winners

For (0): 

Vs (1): Dylan Guenther 10/12 vs. Utah (2:18)

Shootout Winners

For (0): 

Vs (0): 

 

All-time Islander Leader Boards:

Games Played (skaters)

1. Bryan Trottier 1,123 *** 2. Denis Potvin 1,060 *** 3. Josh Bailey 1,057…

5. Clark Gillies 872 *** 6. Brock Nelson 841 *** 7. Matt Martin 823 *** 8. Casey Cizikas 816 *** 9. Bob Bourne 814 *** 10. Anders Lee 760 …

32. Rich Pilon and Mick Vukota 509 *** 34. Mathew Barzal and Adam Pelech 501  *** 36. Ed Westfall 493 *** 37. Ryan Pulock 487 *** 38. Radek Martinek 479 *** 39. Gerry Hart 476 *** 40. Mariusz Czerkawski 472 *** 41. Scott Mayfield 470 

Goals    

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

5. Pat LaFontaine and Brent Sutter 287 *** 7. Brock Nelson 275 *** John Tavares 272 *** 9. Anders Lee 260 …

20. Kyle Okposo 139 ***21. Mathew Barzal 128…

29. Ray Ferraro 116 *** 30. Casey Cizikas 107

Assists

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

9. Brent Sutter 323 *** 10. Stefan Persson 317 *** 11. Mathew Barzal 315…

16. Billy Harris 259 *** 17. Brock Nelson 257…

21. Nick Leddy 198 *** 22. Pierre Turgeon and Anders Lee 193…

31. David Volek 154 *** 32. Noah Dobson 153 *** 33. Mariusz Czerkawski 150 *** 34. Travis Green 145 *** 35. Ryan Pulock 143 *** 36. Steve Thomas 140 *** 37. Mark Streit 139 *** 38. Casey Cizikas and Greg Gilbert 138

Points

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

10. Bob Bourne 542 *** 11. Brock Nelson 532 *** 12. Bob Nystrom 513 *** 13. Derek King 499 *** 14. Patrick Flatley 488 *** 15. Anders Lee 453 *** 16. Billy Harris and Mathew Barzal 443…

30. David Volek 249 *** 31. Casey Cizikas 245

+/-

1. Bryan Trottier +467 *** 2. Denis Potvin +456 *** 3. Mike Bossy +380…

15. Bob Lorimer +105  *** 16. Tomas Jonsson +76 *** 17. Adam Pelech +75  ***17. Garry Howatt +75 *** 19. Pat Price +70 *** 20. JP Parise +67  

Defense Goals

1. Denis Potvin 310 *** 2. Tomas Jonsson 84 *** 3. Kenny Jonsson 57…

4. Stefan Persson 52 *** 5. Ryan Pulock 48 *** 6. Jean Potvin 46 *** 7. Nick Leddy 45 *** 8. Roman Hamrlik 43 *** 9. Mark Streit and Noah Dobson 40

Defense Assists

1. Denis Potvin 742 *** 2. Stefan Persson 317 *** 3. Tomas Jonsson 249…

7. Jeff Norton 166 *** 8. Noah Dobson 153 *** 9. Ryan Pulock 143…

12. Dave Lewis 117 *** 13. Adam Pelech 114… 

20. Dave Langevin and Thomas Hickey 95 *** 22. Scott Mayfield 91

Defense Points

1. Denis Potvin 1,052 *** 2. Stefan Persson 369 *** 3. Tomas Jonsson 333…

6. Jean Potvin 213 *** 7. Noah Dobson 193 *** 8. Ryan Pulock 191…

13. Dave Lewis 141 *** 14. Adam Pelech 140 *** 15. Tom Kurvers 134 …

19. Vladimir Malakhov 125 *** 20. Thomas Hickey 117 *** 21. Scott Mayfield 116

Goalie Games

1. Billy Smith 674 *** 2. Rick DiPietro 318 *** 3. Glenn Resch 282 …

5. Thomas Greiss 193 *** 6. Ilya Sorokin 192 *** 7. Tommy Salo 187 *** 8. Jaroslav Halak 177 *** 9. Glenn Healy 176 *** 10. Semyon Varlamov 164

Wins

1. Billy Smith 304 *** 2. Glenn Resch 157 *** 3. Rick DiPietro 130…

5. Thomas Greiss 101 *** 6. Ilya Sorokin 95 *** 7. Jaroslav Halak 88 *** 8. Roland Melanson 77 *** 9. Semyon Varlamov 73

Shutouts

1. Glenn Resch 25 *** 2. Billy Smith 22 *** 3. Ilya Sorokin 18 *** 

4. Rick DiPietro and Semyon Varlamov 16

On the Farm   

Bridgeport opens their season with home games on Saturday at 7:00 against Providence and Sunday at 3:00 against Charlotte.

Season Series Stats

Utah leads the season series, 1 game to 0; the teams will meet on January 11th in Salt Lake City. 

 

UP NEXT

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12th—ISLANDERS AT DALLAS 8:00pm,

[MSGSN2 (pre-game at 7:30], WRHU 88.7 FM, WRCN 103.9FM, Isles + UBS Arena App]

The Isles begin a three-game road trip on Saturday in Dallas. The Isles swept the Stars last season, winning both games by 3-2 scores in overtime. Bo Horvat had both overtime goals, and Ilya Sorokin earned both wins. The games were the first and thirteenth games the Isles played under Patrick Roy. 

The Isles are 5-3-1 in their last nine games against Dallas.

Eric Hornick has been the statistician on Islander home game telecasts since 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