The Skinny: Isles 5, Vancouver 2

"The Skinny" 

By Eric Hornick

Game 17

Isles 5, Vancouver 2

The Isles controlled play for most of the game and got goals from five different players as they defeated the Vancouver Canucks 5-2 before a sellout crowd of 18,728 at Rogers Arena.

Semyon Varlamov needed to make only five saves through 40 minutes but then made 19 more in the third period to earn his 289th career win.

The Isles are 7-6-4 on the season and play game three of this five-game road trip in Seattle on Saturday afternoon.

The Scoring:  

1st Period

Jonathan Lekkerimaki (1) J.T. Miller (9), Filip Hronek (5) 02:40 NYI 0,VAN 1

Jean-Gabriel Pageau (5) Anders Lee (6), Oliver Wahlstrom (1) 17:23 NYI 1,VAN 1 PPG

2nd Period

Scott Mayfield (1) Bo Horvat (8) 00:14 NYI 2,VAN 1

Pierre Engvall (1) Simon Holmstrom (6), Grant Hutton (1) 02:10 NYI 3,VAN 1

3rd Period

Anders Lee (7) Bo Horvat (9) 11:42 NYI 4,VAN 1

Noah Dobson (1)EN Grant Hutton (2), Kyle Palmieri (8) 17:54 NYI 5,VAN 1

Tyler Myers (1) Teddy Blueger (6) 18:34 NYI 5,VAN 2

The Skinny

The Isles have points in five straight (3-0-2) and are 4-1-2 in their last seven games…The Isles have allowed only 24 goals in the first and second periods but have allowed 28 goals in the third period and overtime… Anders Lee is 4-6-10 in the last seven games with four multi-point games; it is the first time since March 2022 that he has had this many points in a seven-game stretch… Grant Hutton recorded his first two NHL assists…Scott Mayfield's goal was his first in 60 games, dating back to April 8, 2023 vs. Philadelphia…Bo Horvat had a pair of assists in his first Islander victory in Vancouver; he now leads the team with nine helpers… Mayfield's goal was the earliest in any period for the Isles since J-G Pageau scored 13 seconds into overtime to beat Los Angeles on December 9, 2023… The Isles held the Canucks to six shots through two periods (matching the fewest allowed by the Isles in 21 years), before allowing a season-high 20 shots in the third period…An offside review denied Brock Nelson of an assist, ending a personal 10-game point streak against the Canucks…The Isles ended five-game point streaks for both Quinn Hughes and Jake DeBrusk.

Milestone Men

• Anders Lee earned his 199th assist, breaking a tie with Nick Leddy for 21st place in club history.

• Noah Dobson scored his 41st goal, breaking a tie with Mark Streit for 9th place among Isles defensemen.

A Rare Early Goal

Scott Mayfield is only the fourth defenseman in Islander history to score in the first fifteen seconds of any period, joining Denis Potvin, Nick Leddy, and Adam Pelech. None of those other goals happened in the second period, making Mayfield's the earliest second period defense goal in club history. The previous record in the second period was :21, set by Jean Potvin in 1977, and equaled by Johnny Boychuk on October 17, 2015, at Barclays Center against San Jose. (Ralph Stewart has the earliest 2nd period goal by a forward, in 1973 vs. St. Louis – 7 seconds).

Chasing 200  

Two Islander defensemen are approaching 200 points; Noah Dobson has 198 and Ryan Pulock has 197. Denis Potvin, Stefan Persson and Tomas Jonsson are the only defensemen to record their first 200 points as Islanders.

Anders Lee has 199 assists; he will be the 21st player in club history to reach 200 assists.

First NHL Goal Allowed

Jonathan Lekkerimaki is the fourth player to record his first NHL goal in a game against the Isles this season, joining Calum Ritchie (COL), Logan Mailloux (MTL) and Mackie Samoskevich (FLA).

The Road Ahead

The Isles are in a stretch where they play nine of eleven games on the road.  So far, the Isles are 4-2-2 (3-2-1 on the road and 1-0-1 at home):

• 30-Oct-24 @ Columbus  L 0-2 

• 1-Nov-24  @ Buffalo       W 4-3

• 3-Nov-24  @ New York  L 2-5

• 5-Nov-24  Vs Pittsburgh W 4-3 (SO)

• 7-Nov-24  @ Ottawa      W 4-2

• 9-Nov-24  Vs New Jersey L 3-4 (OT)

• 12-Nov-24 @ Edmonton L 3-4 (OT)

• 14-Nov-24 @ Vancouver W 5-2

• 16-Nov-24 @ Seattle

• 19-Nov-24 @ Calgary

• 21-Nov-24 @ Detroit

Overtime is Our Time

The Isles have played 7 overtime games. They are 1-4 in games decided by an overtime goal, and they are 2-0 in shootouts. Ilya Sorokin is 1-3 in overtime and 1-0 in shootouts, while Semyon Varlamov is 0-1 in overtime and 1-0 in shootouts. 

Most Career OT/SO Losses (Isles Goalie)

• Ilya Sorokin 33 (CURRENT)

• Rick DiPietro 28 

Facing 40

Ilya Sorokin has faced at least forty shots one time this season and 30 times in his career. Only Billy Smith, who played more than three times the number of games as an Islander, faced 40 more often (46 times).

Empty Netters 

The Isles have scored 3 empty-net goals and allowed 5.

Killing Their Own PP

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

Building on a Lead

The Islanders have had a two-goal lead 12 times this season:

• Score the next goal: 5 times

• Allowed the next goal: 6 times

• Game ended with 2-goal difference: 1 times 

Last Year vs. This Year

• 2024-25  7-6-4 for 18 points in 17 games

• 2023-24  6-6-5 for 17 points in 17 games

Offense from Defense

• Today:   2-2-4

• Season: 4-22-26

• Last Season (Final) 33-137-170

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

Varly, Varly

Semyon Varlamov has 41 career shutouts and 289 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. Semyon Varlamov 289

49. Jose Theodore 286

      Dan Bouchard 286

Home and Road

The Isles are 7-6-4 overall; they are 2-3-2 at home and 5-3-2 on the road.

Vancouver is 8-4-3 overall; they are 2-3-3 at home and 6-1-0 on the road.

East and West

The Isles are 5-4-1 against the East (2-2-1 vs. Metropolitan and 3-2-0 vs. Atlantic) and 2-2-3 against the West (1-1-2 vs. Central and 1-1-1 vs. Pacific).

Home is Where the Fans Are

The Isles have played 129 games at UBS Arena and recorded 91 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 1,451

3. Glen Sather 1,319

Leaders of the Pack

Lou Lamoriello (1,451) and Patrick Roy (157) have combined for 1,608 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 3-1-2 when scoring first and are 4-5-2 when allowing the opening goal. 

The Shots

Isles            9-15-8=32

Vancouver  3-3-20=26

The Isles are 3-3-2 when they outshoot their opponents, 0-1-0 when the shots are even and 3-2-2 when the opposition has more shots.

In the Nets

Semyon Varlamov made 24 saves; he is 3-3-1 this season and 8-12-2 vs. Vancouver.

Kevin Lankinen made 27 saves; he is 8-2-3 this season and 1-2-0 vs the Isles.

Special Teams

The Isles were 1-5 (8:50) on the power play; Vancouver was 0-1 (2:00).

The Isles are 5-1-1 when they score at least one power play goal and 2-5-3 when they do not. The Isles are 4-3-3 when they allow at least one power play goal and 3-3-1 when they do not.

Three is (Usually) a Magic Number

The Isles are 7-1-3 when they score at least three goals (including shootout winners) and are 0-5-1 when they do not. 

One-Goal Games

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

Back-to-Backs     

The Isles are 1-1-0 on the front end and 0-2-0 on the back end this season. The next back-to-back will be on November 29th in Washington and November 30th vs. Buffalo.

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 (23:41); Vancouver: Quinn Hughes (27:10)

Kyle Palmieri led Isles forwards (20:26)

Isles record by ice-time leaders: Noah Dobson (5-4-2), Alex Romanov (0-1-0), Ryan Pulock (2-1-0), Adam Pelech (0-0-1)

Face-offs

Isles 32, Vancouver 22 (59%)

Casey Cizikas won 9 of 14 for the Isles; No Canuck won more than he lost. 

Hit Count

Isles 14 (Matt Martin and Casey Cizikas -3)

Vancouver 26 (Kiefer Sherwood -8)

Fights 

Matt Martin fought Vincent Desharnais in the 2nd period. Season total: 3 (Mayfield, Wahlstrom, Martin)

 

Blocked Shots

Isles 17 (Ryan Pulock -4)

Vancouver 14 (Tyler Myers -4)

For the Analytics Crowd 

Corsi: All situations: Isles 57, Vancouver 58

Corsi: 5-on-5: Isles 45, Vancouver 48

 

5-on-5 leaders:

Isles:  Casey Cizikas +7

Vancouver: Filip Hronek +11

High Danger Scoring Chances (per Natural Stat Trick)

All situations: Isles 13, Vancouver 2

5-on-5: Isles 11, Vancouver 2

Scratches

(Mathew Barzal – LTIR), (Anthony Duclair-LTIR), (Adam Pelech – IR), (Alex Romanov-INJ), (Mike Reilly-IR),Hudson Fasching, Travis Mitchell

Games Lost to injury: 40.   (Last season's total: 181)

The Ironmen

Brock Nelson is the Islanders' ironman, having played 183 consecutive games. Kyle Palmieri (133) and Jean-Gabriel Pageau (113) have 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 16

2. John Tavares 12

Most Overtime Points, Career (Islanders)

1. John Tavares 23

2. Mathew Barzal 21

3. Brock Nelson 18

Barzal has a point on 21 of the 40 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 stream on 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 0-1-0 in matinee games this season, with 10 games remaining. The next matinee will be on November 16th in Seattle. The NHL considers games that start before 5:00 local time to be afternoon contests. Since the start of the 2019-20 season, the Isles are 13-14-10 in matinees.

Challenges

Isles: 0 successful, 1 failure  (No offsides -PIT 11/5)

Opponents: 1 successful, 1 failure (No Goalie Interference -UTA 10/10), (Offside-VAN 11/15)

Quickies (Two goals in under a minute)

For (0):

Vs (0): 

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

Isles responses (1): BUF 11/1

Opponent responses (2): UTA 10/10 (2)

Multi-Goal 3rd Period Comeback Wins 

For (2): Vs. PIT 11/5 (Trailed 3-1, won 4-3 (SO))

Vs (1):  Vs. NJ 11/9 (Led 3-1, Lost 4-3 (OT))

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

For (2): Maxim Tsyplakov 10/10 vs. UTA (17:53, go-ahead goal but lost in OT); Anders Lee 11/12 @ EDM (17:20-GTG; EDM won in OT)

Vs (4): Josh Doan 10/10 vs. UTA (18:06- GTG; UTA won in OT); Cole Caufield 10/19 vs MTL (17:50-GTG; NYI won in SO); Jesper Bratt 10/25 at NJD (18:31-GTG; NYI won in OT); Stefan Noesen 11/9 vs NJ (19:10-GTG; NJD won in OT)

OT Winners

For (1): Bo Horvat 10/25 at NJD (1:09)

Vs (4): Dylan Guenther 10/10 vs. UTA (2:18); Jake Neighbours 10/17 @ STL (2:04); Jack Hughes 11/9 vs NJD (2:35); Leon Draisaitl 11/12 @ EDM (1:52)

Shootout Winners

For (2): Noah Dobson 10/19 vs MTL, Bo Horvat 11/5 vs PIT

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 857 *** 7. Casey Cizikas 832 *** 8. Matt Martin 829 *** 9. Bob Bourne 814 *** 10. Anders Lee 776 …

31. Dave Lewis 514 *** 32. Adam Pelech 511 *** 33. Mathew Barzal 510 *** 34. Rich Pilon and Mick Vukota 509 *** 36. Ryan Pulock 503 *** 37. Ed Westfall 493 *** 38. Scott Mayfield 485

Goals    

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

5. Pat LaFontaine and Brent Sutter 287 *** 7. Brock Nelson 281 *** John Tavares 272 *** 9. Anders Lee 267 …

20. Kyle Okposo 139 *** 21. Mathew Barzal 130…

29. Ray Ferraro 116 *** 30. Casey Cizikas 108

Assists

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

8. Patrick Flatley 328 *** 9. Brent Sutter 323 *** 10. Stefan Persson and Mathew Barzal 317…

14. Pat LaFontaine 279 *** 15. Bobby Nystrom 278 *** 16. Billy Harris and Brock Nelson 259…

19. Frans Nielsen and Kyle Okposo 230 *** 21. Anders Lee 199…

30. Ziggy Palffy 163 *** 31. Noah Dobson 157 *** 32. David Volek 154 *** 33. Mariusz Czerkawski 150 *** 34. Ryan Pulock 149 *** 35. Travis Green 145 *** 36. Steve Thomas 140 *** 37. Mark Streit and Casey Cizikas 139

Points

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

9. John Tonelli 544 *** 10. Bob Bourne 542 *** 11. Brock Nelson 540 *** 12. Bob Nystrom 513 *** 13. Derek King 499 *** 14. Patrick Flatley 488 *** 15. Anders Lee 466 *** 16. Mathew Barzal 447…

30. David Volek 249 *** 31. Casey Cizikas 247

+/-

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

15. Bob Lorimer +105  *** 16. Tomas Jonsson +76 ***17. Garry Howatt +75 *** 18. Adam Pelech +73 *** 19. Pat Price +70 *** 20. JP Parise +67  *** 21. Jude Drouin +58 *** 22. Patrick Flatley +57 *** 23. Ryan Pulock +57 *** 24. Greg Gilbert +54 *** 25. Gord Lane +48

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. Noah Dobson 41…

14. Vladimir Malakhov 27 *** 15. Adam Pelech, Scott Mayfield and four others 26  

Defense Assists

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

7. Jeff Norton 166 *** 8. Noah Dobson 157 *** 9. Ryan Pulock 149…

11. Travis Hamonic 120 *** 12. Adam Pelech 118… 

20. Dave Langevin and Thomas Hickey 95 *** 22. Scott Mayfield 93

Defense Points

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

6. Jean Potvin 213 *** 7. Noah Dobson 198 *** Ryan Pulock 197…

11. Roman Hamrlik 153 *** 12. Travis Hamonic 146 *** 13. Adam Pelech 144 …

19. Vladimir Malakhov 125 *** 20. Scott Mayfield 119

Goalie Games

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

4. Kelly Hrudey 241 *** 5. Ilya Sorokin 202 *** 6. Thomas Greiss 193 *** 7. Tommy Salo 187 *** 8. Jaroslav Halak 177 *** 9. Glenn Healy 176 *** 10. Semyon Varlamov 170

Wins

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

5. Thomas Greiss 101 *** 6. Ilya Sorokin 99 *** 7. Jaroslav Halak 88 *** 8. Roland Melanson 77 *** 9. Semyon Varlamov 76

Shutouts

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

4. Rick DiPietro and Semyon Varlamov 16

On the Farm   

Bridgeport is 2-9-1-1 heading into a Friday game in Hershey. Brian Pinho leads the team with nine goals. 

Season Series Stats

The Isles lead the season series, 1 game to 0 (and 2 points to 0); the teams will meet again on March 26th at UBS Arena. 

The Isles have points in nine straight games in Vancouver, going 6-0-3; however, this win stopped a three-game Canuck winning streak over the Isles.

UP NEXT

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16th –ISLES AT SEATTLE 4:00pm

[MSGSN (pre-game at 3:30], WRHU 88.7 FM, WRCN 103.9FM, Isles + UBS Arena App]

The middle game of the road trip is Saturday afternoon in Seattle. 

The Isles are 1-1-1 in Seattle and 2-2-2 all-time against the Kraken. Last season, the Kraken won a pair of shootouts from the Isles, so the Isles will bring a three-game point streak (1-0-2) against Seattle into this match-up.

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