Dominant Performance by Ilya Sorokin
In a dominant performance, Ilya Sorokin secured his third shutout of the season by stopping all 32 shots directed his way, leading the New York Islanders to a 2-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night. This impressive feat also marked Sorokin’s 25th career shutout, allowing him to tie Glenn “Chico” Resch for the most shutouts in franchise history.
Key Moments of the Game
The Islanders found the net in the second half of the third period during a critical four-minute power play, spurred by a double-minor high-sticking penalty on Brandon Hagel against Casey Cizikas. Following a review that confirmed the penalty, Tony DeAngelo launched a shot from the blue line that was tipped by Anders Lee. Calum Ritchie capitalized on the deflection, skillfully maneuvering the puck past Lightning goaltender Jonas Johansson at 12:46.
Cizikas later sealed the game with an empty-net goal just two seconds before the final buzzer, solidifying the Islanders’ performance. This defeat marked Tampa Bay’s third consecutive loss and their first shutout of the season.
Lightning’s Struggles
Jonas Johansson managed to make 17 saves for the Lightning, as they struggled to find offensive rhythm against a robust Islanders defense. Notably, Lightning captain Victor Hedman returned to action after being on long-term injured reserve for 12 games due to an undisclosed injury. However, the team was still without their star goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy and leading scorer Nikita Kucherov, both missing the game due to injuries of their own.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, the Islanders are set to face the Florida Panthers on Sunday, while the Lightning will take on the Toronto Maple Leafs in their next match scheduled for Monday.
