Hey everyone, glad to be back for another season of recaps for our favorite team that tortures us constantly!
The Islanders stuck around in this one for longer than they probably deserved, earning a point on the road and dragging the game out to a shootout by killing a full two minute penalty in OT.
Matias Maccelli scored the team’s lone goal and looked pretty good on the Islanders’ top line tonight and paired well with Bo Horvat in overtime, but Cal Ritchie’s line struggled all night and Ritchie and Victor Eklund both were benched for much of the third period. It was probably Ritchie’s worst game of the season so far, and he found himself on the fourth line for stretches, too, which might be good for him until he can find the form he had towards the end of last season.
Semyon Varlamov was sharp all game, turning aside 18/19 shots from the Ottawa Senators, and if he can continue that level of play it’ll be a huge help for Ilya Sorokin and the Islanders.
[NHL Gamecenter | Game Summary | Event Summary | Natural Stat Trick]
First Period
Early, Kyle Palmieri got tangled up with Shane Pinto, a fellow Long Island native (which the broadcast mentioned multiple times) and limped off the ice. It was a scary moment given his ACL injury last season, but he ultimately was fine.
Stephen Halliday had a great chance in the slot that he seemed to pass off for a backdoor set up which didn’t connect. Then, Warren Foegele sniped the puck past Semyon Varlamov and hit the crossbar. At first, it was ruled a goal on the ice, even though it didn’t entirely look like the puck actually went in, and after the Ottawa Senators celebrated, the call on the ice was overturned.
Halliday beat Varlamov after a defensive breakdown, but the Islanders challenged for offside, and once again Ottawa had a goal wiped off the board, leaving us at 0-0.
Matthew Schaefer rushed to the net and sent a backhand wide after he had Linus Ullmark beat and Emil Heineman had a great chance saved, too.
With 11 seconds left, Matias Maccelli stole the puck from Pinto and ripped it past Ullmark to give the Islanders a lead heading into the second period, his second goal of the season.
Second Period
Thomas Chabot went to the box for high-sticking Brayden Schenn, and Schaefer had to break up a shorthanded chance for Tim Stutzle. Ultimately, the Senators killed the penalty.
Logan Stanley tripped Ridley Greig, and the Islanders killed that. When Stanley came out of the box, he had a chance on goal, but missed.
About a minute after that, Cal Ritchie took a hooking penalty in the offensive zone. He had a rough game overall, with his line getting hemmed in a lot and his passes just not connecting all game. On the penalty kill, Varlamov robbed Halliday to help get the kill. After that, Simon Holmstrom put a shot off the glass on a 3 on 2.
Foegele cherry-picked at the blue line and got a stretch pass from Artem Zub, and then passed it off to Greig, who put it past Varlamov to tie the game.
Then, Anthony Duclair took a holding penalty, but the Isles were able to get the kill.
Third Period
Varlamov made a big save on Fabian Zetterlund, and when the puck still got behind him he managed to keep it away with the help of a diving Adam Pelech.
Then, Pelech blocked a shot and went down to the dressing room but came back quickly looking no worse for wear, so it was, fortunately, probably more of a stinger than anything else.
Ritchie was moved down to the fourth line, and DeBoer put Emil Heineman with Schenn and Eklund, and then shortened his bench for much of the third period tied 1-1.
Heineman laid a big hit on Foegele a bit far from the boards, with no call, and Foegele wanted to fight Heineman who didn’t take him up on it. Shortly after that, a high stick from Nick Cousins on Matthew Schaefer sent the Isles to the power play, but the Senators got the kill.
Overtime/SO
In OT, the Islanders had their chances, mostly with the combo of Horvat-Maccelli-Schaefer on the ice. When they were off, the Isles got hemmed in, and Pelech took a penalty, hooking Carter Yakemchuk. The Islanders killed off the full two minutes, and Pelech was tripped setting up a play as he got out of the box.
The Islanders couldn’t convert on their 4 on 3 chance, and we went on to the shootout, where only Shane Pinto could convert, giving the Ottawa Senators the extra point.
Up Next
Next, the Islanders head to Toronto to take on the Maple Leafs for the second time already this season. Last time was for the season opener, where the Islanders lost to the Leafs 2-1. That game is on Saturday, October 17. Hoping for a better outcome this time!