Islanders hold on to beat Hurricanes as momentum grows going into break
RALEIGH, N.C. The Islanders are riding high into the holidays.
After a 5-4 win over the Hurricanes on Saturday to finish out their pre-Christmas schedule, the Islanders are sitting pretty as sole holders of second place in the Metropolitan Division.
They have lost just twice in regulation since Nov. 13. And after suffering three losses in four last week, they have suddenly strung together a three-game points streak that includes a win over the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last spring.
This has been a less-than-perfect season for the Islanders, whose record sits at 16-8-9, and this was a less-than-perfect victory.
But they will be right to feel pretty good about where they are.
Speaking over Christmas music in a happy dressing room, Cal Clutterbuck said of this back-and-forth, helter-skelter win, It was a banger.
The Canes have been hamstrung by their goaltending all season, ranking 31st in the league in save percentage as a team entering play Saturday.
3Islanders defenseman Mike Reilly (2) celebrates his goal against the Carolina Hurricanes during the second period at PNC Arena on Saturday. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters ConIt was no different against the Islanders as Pyotr Kochetkov stopped just 23 of 28 shots while Ilya Sorokin turned aside 36 of 40 for the Islanders.
Of course, they did not make it easy for themselves.
After the Islanders entered the third with a 4-2 lead, it took the Hurricanes under two minutes to cut it to 4-3, with Jaccob Slavins slap shot finding the back of the net at the 1:56 mark.
But unlike numerous occasions this year, the Islanders had a quick answer, as Anders Lee scored his 250th career goal less than two minutes later to bring the lead back to 5-3.
The Islanders werent out of the woods yet, though, as Stefan Noesen stuffed in his own rebound for a power-play goal to make it 5-4 with 10:43 to go in the game.
3Brock Nelson #29 of the New York Islanders celebrates with teammates after a goal during the first period against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena on December 23, 2023. NHLI via Getty ImagesCarolina appeared to tie it after a net-front scramble with 6:11 to go, but the goal was waved off on the ice and after review, it was confirmed that Martin Necas kicked the puck in.
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That was as close as the Hurricanes would get, with the Islanders hanging on at five-on-six.
We have some offense of our own, coach Lane Lambert said. They made some pretty good plays on goals. So do we want to go up and down? Eh, not totally. But we can go up and down.
This game was proof positive of that as the Islanders took repeated advantage of Kochetkov in Carolinas net.
The Islanders Sebastian Aho beat Kochetkov clean for the first goal of the game with the crowd still upset over an uncalled trip on Mike Reilly.
By the end of the first period, Brock Nelson and Bo Horvat had scored, too, with the latters goal bouncing off Kochetkovs pad and in a worthy response to Teuvo Teravainens goal that tied the game at one.
Carolinas Sebastian Aho brought the Hurricanes back within a goal just 59 seconds into the second period with a power-play goal.
But Reillys seeing-eye shot from the left point got the lead to 4-2 at the 14:12 mark of the second another goal Kochetkov probably would have liked to have back.
Sorokin, meanwhile, was unflappable in the face of 40 shots.
I think the Hurricanes probably outshoot most of the teams that come in here, for whatever reason that is, Nelson said. Our goalies give us a chance every single night. Sorokie made a couple big saves again tonight.
3 Alexander Romanov #28 of the New York Islanders reacts after blocking a shot during the first period against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena on December 23, 2023. NHLI via Getty ImagesWhatever you make of these first 33 games for the Islanders and it is far from an unequivocal success given they have lost more times than theyve won, factoring in overtime losses it is clear theyve gotten better as the season has gone on.
I think we like where our games at and where it can go, Nelson told The Post. Were confident in this group and what were capable of doing. The results the last couple weeks have shown that.
You gotta continue to push more. Theres a lot of hockey left.
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