NEW YORK — In an impressive performance, Simon Holmstrom contributed two goals and an assist, while goaltender Ilya Sorokin recorded 30 saves, leading the New York Islanders to a 5-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night.
The Islanders have now extended their winning streak to five games, with other contributors including Bo Horvat, Anders Lee, and Alexander Romanov who each found the back of the net.
For the Avalanche, Mackenzie Blackwood made 23 saves, though only Artturi Lehkonen and Jack Drury managed to score against Sorokin’s strong defense.
Entering the final period tied at 1-1, the Islanders surged ahead, scoring four goals. Horvat netted the game-winning goal, his 18th of the season, with just over eight minutes remaining.
Lee had opened the scoring for New York with a skillful backhand goal just 4:11 into the second period, marking his team-high 22nd of the season. Lehkonen later equalized for Colorado, capitalizing on a feed from Nathan MacKinnon and managing to redirect it past Sorokin’s blocker from in front of the net.
Key Points: For the Avalanche, this game may prove critical if they fail to make the playoff cut, as they could reflect on this match as a turning point. Despite outshooting the Islanders (32-28) and boasting a larger number of attempted shots (84-50), they only managed two goals.
On the Islanders’ side, Scott Perunovich made his debut after being acquired in a trade with St. Louis and contributed with an assist.
One notable moment of the game was the defensive display by Sorokin, who kept the first period scoreless, making 14 saves, including 11 in the latter half of that period.
Another key statistic was the Islanders successfully killing off both power plays taken by Colorado, showcasing their strong penalty-killing abilities.
Looking ahead, the Islanders are set to embark on a three-game road trip, beginning with a matchup against Philadelphia on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Avalanche will return home for a two-game homestand starting Friday against St. Louis.
