Simon Holmstrom, Brayden Schenn and Bo Horvat scored within a nine-minute span in the second period Saturday night and goalie Ilya Sorokin stopped all 37 shots he faced for the New York Islanders, who won their home opener by routing the New Jersey Devils 6-0.
Victor Eklund, Ondrej Palat and Casey Cizikas scored in the third for the Islanders, who bounced back from a 2-1 season-opening loss at Toronto. Reigning Calder Trophy winner Matthew Schaefer had two assists.
The shutout for Sorokin was the franchise-record 30th of his career.
Nico Daws made 26 saves for the Devils, who have also split their first two games.
The Devils outshot the Islanders 9-7 in a scoreless first before the hosts took control into the second.
Adam Pelech set up Holmstrom’s goal by weaving through the neutral zone and dishing to Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who drew Daws to the right of the crease before dishing to Holmstrom. The winger then sent a shot over the right leg of the sprawling Daws at 3:32.
A Devils turnover led to Schenn’s goal just 88 seconds later. Schaefer picked off Stefan Noesen’s pass just in front of the blue line and fired a shot that bounced off Daws. Eklund picked up the puck and sent a pass between his legs and Daws’ legs to Schenn, who buried the point-blank chance.
Schaefer collected another assist with 7:52 left in the second, when he fed Horvat at the front of the right faceoff circle before the Islanders’ captain directed a shot beyond Daws’ glove.
Eklund celebrated his 20th birthday by scoring his first NHL goal with 8:28 left in the third, when he got a stick on Calum Ritchie’s pass and tucked a shot over Daws’ glove. Palat added another insurance goal just 42 seconds later and Cizikas, who is in his 16th season with the Islanders, scored a short-handed goal with 1:19 left.
–Field Level Media
