Islanders Triumph Over Kraken in Nail-Biting Matchup
In an intense matchup on Sunday night, the New York Islanders emerged victorious against the Seattle Kraken with a narrow 1-0 win, thanks to a strong performance from goalie David Rittich. This game marked a significant achievement for Rittich, as he not only secured his first shutout with the Islanders but also recorded the eighth of his NHL career by turning away 19 shots from Seattle.
Key Moments of the Game
The victory was sealed in the shootout: Bo Horvat kept the Islanders in contention during the third round, while Kyle Palmieri clinched the win in the fourth round after Rittich thwarted a shot from Chandler Stephenson.
Despite suffering a recent setback with a 2-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues, the Islanders have rebounded impressively, boasting seven wins in their last nine games. This shootout victory is particularly noteworthy, as it marks the Islanders’ first win in this format in over a year. Rittich’s performance adds to his strong record as a backup to starting goalie Ilya Sorokin, bringing his season tally to 6-2-0.
Seattle’s Strong Performance
On the opposition, Seattle’s Joey Daccord stood strong in goal, making 34 saves and earning his seventh career shutout, despite the loss. Daccord successfully handled several challenges, including a power play late in overtime against both Horvat and Matthew Schaefer.
The Kraken, having recently defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 in overtime, have been in good form, posting a 4-1-1 record over their last six contests under former Islanders coach Lane Lambert, currently holding an overall record of 11-5-6.
Injury Update and Upcoming Matches
In a challenging week for the Islanders, they announced before the game that defenseman Alexander Romanov is slated to be sidelined for five to six months due to shoulder surgery. In their upcoming matches, the Islanders will host the Boston Bruins on Wednesday night while the Kraken will face off against the Dallas Stars on the same evening.
The Islanders have improved their overall standing significantly, now boasting a record of 9-3-1 over their last 13 games and 13-5-2 after a rough start to the season, which saw them at 0-3-0.
