Bo Horvat scored the go-ahead goal with 3:27 left to play to lead the New York Islanders to a 3-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday in Newark, N.J.
Casey Cizikas and Mathew Barzal each added a goal for the Islanders, while Horvat assisted on Barzal’s empty-netter for a two-point night. Ilya Sorokin saved 23 of the 24 shots he faced.
New York won all four games against New Jersey this season.
Nico Hischier scored the Devils’ lone goal and he was assisted by Jesper Bratt and goaltender Jake Allen. New Jersey will go into the Olympic break on a three-game losing streak.
Horvat’s team-high 24th goal of the season came off a faceoff win in the Devils’ zone. After the puck stayed loose for a few seconds, the Islanders’ captain slid a backhand shot past Allen to give the Islanders a 2-1 lead.
Barzal added the finishing touches for New York with an empty-net goal with 24 seconds remaining.
The Islanders opened up the scoring in the second period when Cizikas beat Allen by tipping in a rebound. It was Cizikas’ seventh goal of the season and his first since Jan. 10.
After having a pair of high-danger chances of their own, including a kick save from defenseman Adam Pelech to deny Lenni Hameenaho on a wide-open shot attempt, the Devils finally broke through with 1:34 left in the second.
Hischier tied the game at 1 with his 19th goal of the season after beating Sorokin with a slap shot that snuck over his left shoulder and into the top corner. It was the Devils’ first goal in more than 140 minutes.
The first period saw a scoreless draw, but there were plenty of opportunities on both sides. Both teams hit the crossbar at different points, including New Jersey’s Dawson Mercer on a breakaway chance against Sorokin.
The Islanders only recorded two shots on goal, but missed the net on a pair of high-danger chances. New Jersey had six shots on goal in the first period. In total, the Devils outshot the Islanders 24-14.
–Field Level Media
