Jaroslav Halak’s 31 saves and a resurrected penalty kill helped the Islanders to a 3-1 win over the Washington Capitals.
- New York Islanders (17-10-3, 37 points) 3
- Washington Capitals (18-12-1, 35 points) 1
- NYI Goals: Brock Nelson (9), Andrew Ladd (8), John Tavares (18)
- WSH Goals: Dimitry Orlov (3)
- NHL, Final, Box Score
The New York Islanders ended a three-game losing streak with a 3-1 win over a Metropolitan division opponent. Big credit to goaltender Jaroslav Halak, who made 31 saves in the win and the penalty kill went 3/3.
Recap
Breaking Isles news: Brock Nelson has three goals in his last five games, and it came from picking up Cal Clutterbuck’s rebound with a slick deke to beat Braden Holtby.
Love when Brock is streaking in the right direction #Isles pic.twitter.com/88HWnsySCb
— IslesBlog (@IslesBlog) December 12, 2017
The goal would hold through the first period and after 10 Islander shots. To start the second, Andrew Ladd took a pass from Calvin de Haan and slipped it right past Holtby in the first minute and it was 2-0 Islanders.
Gorgeous pass by @cal_dehaan and @aladd16 finishes in front #Isles pic.twitter.com/GyvBQ07X2w
— IslesBlog (@IslesBlog) December 12, 2017
Fifty-eight seconds later, it’s the captain John Tavares coming through after a major scramble in front of the Washington net.
Braden Holtby’s night was over, and Philip Grubauer entered (to eventually stop all 17 Islander shots).
Top Line doing Top Line things #Isles
Tavares goal. Holtby's night is done. pic.twitter.com/tG3mdyly0V
— IslesBlog (@IslesBlog) December 12, 2017
The scoring was done for the Islanders, and Halak was razor sharp through the rest of the period withstanding a late-game flurry from the Caps.
Jaro save on Ovechkin #Isles pic.twitter.com/IxznW1w2Mo
— IslesBlog (@IslesBlog) December 12, 2017
Skid Snapped
For probably the first time this season, the Islanders played a full, complete game. Knowing they needed to shake the bad voodoo off from a 1-2-1 road trip, they recognized the importance of a quick goal.
Nelson continues heating up, scoring three goals in the last five games. With every member of the top line already at 30 points each, and Mathew Barzal leading the charge for the second line, it’s been time for the third line to produce some offense.
More importantly, however, the Islanders were able to hold the opposition off to one goal for just the second time this season. Not to mention a much more coordinated penalty kill going 3-for-3 tonight.
The good news for the Islanders is that six of their next seven games will be at the Barclays Center, with a trip to Columbus scheduled for the tail-end of a back-to-back this Thursday.
The Islanders are back at it on Wednesday, facing the Dallas Stars who held the New York Rangers to a point in a 2-1 shootout.