PHILADELPHIA — Ilya Sorokin delivered an impressive performance with 23 saves, achieving his third shutout this season as the New York Islanders claimed a decisive 3-0 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night. This win marked the Islanders’ sixth consecutive triumph.
Marc Gatcomb celebrated his inaugural NHL goal, contributing to the team’s success alongside goals from Simon Holmstrom and Kyle Palmieri. With this victory, the Islanders moved ahead of the Flyers and the inactive New York Rangers in the Metropolitan Division standings, positioning themselves just three points away from a wild-card playoff spot.
Sorokin’s shutout was the 21st of his career and his fifth victory in a row, during which he has permitted only four goals. Throughout their winning streak, New York has outscored its opponents 21-7, illustrating their strong offensive capabilities combined with solid defense.
On the other hand, the Flyers have struggled offensively, suffering their second consecutive shutout. Ivan Fedotov managed to make 25 saves for Philadelphia, but the team’s lack of scoring has become a trend, with two goals or fewer scored in five of their last six matches.
A pivotal moment occurred when Flyers rookie Matvei Michkov believed he had scored a power-play goal early in the first period. However, the goal was nullified after an intervention from New York coach Patrick Roy, who challenged the play for goaltender interference. The officials concluded that Morgan Frost had brushed against Sorokin, affecting his ability to make the save.
Tensions escalated on the Flyers’ bench when Michkov engaged in a heated exchange with coach John Tortorella after a defensive lapse. Following this incident, Michkov was benched for the last eight minutes of the second period and did not return for the entirety of the third period.
In a notable achievement, Tortorella reached a coaching milestone by participating in his 1,600th game, becoming only the seventh coach in NHL history to achieve this feat and the first to do so from the United States.
Looking ahead, the Islanders will hit the road to face the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday, whereas the Flyers will enjoy a break before traveling to Colorado for their next matchup on Sunday.
