NEWARK — The final score was perhaps the second most important result for the Islanders.
No. 1 goalie Ilya Sorokin looking every bit the part in putting together his fourth straight solid performance is of obvious significance, especially compared with his rocky play earlier in the season. He was the primary reason the Islanders overcame a ragged start to hand the Devils their first home loss with a 3-2 overtime win on Monday night at Prudential Center.
Mathew Barzal scored at 1:17 of overtime after the Devils forced OT by scoring with 4.7 seconds left in regulation.
“He has that potential to carry us and he did tonight,” Anders Lee said of Sorokin. “He has been playing some great hockey of late.”
Sorokin made 33 saves, the same as he did when the Islanders opened this seven-game road trip with a 5-0 win over the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night. The back-to-back starts for Sorokin ended a stretch of seven games in which he alternated with backup David Rittich.
Sorokin improved to 5-4-2 with a 2.90 goals-against average and an .898 save percentage. Those numbers still are off his career standards, but Sorokin has allowed only six goals in his last four starts, going 3-0-1.
“It was a tough game tonight, tough shots, but I felt in shape all game and I think it’s a big win for us,” said Sorokin, whose 130th career victory tied him with Rick DiPietro for third place on the franchise list. “I think it was one of our best games defensively.”
Sorokin made nine of his saves as the Islanders (8-6-2) killed off three of the Devils’ four power plays, including two crucial kills in the third period.
Kyle Palmieri, who knocked in a loose puck at the crease after No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer’s shot from the right point, made it 2-1 at 17:07 of the third period on the Islanders’ lone power play.
The Devils (11-4-1, 7-0-1 at home) generated 25 high-danger chances, according to NaturalStatTrick.com, with 10 coming on their power play and 11 with the teams skating five-on-five.
“[Sorokin] was phenomenal tonight,” said Bo Horvat, who extended his point streak to six games (six goals, three assists) by taking Palmieri’s feed to the slot to tie it at 1-1 at 6:55 of the second period, then notched his 300th career assist on Palmieri’s power-play goal.
“He’s a big reason why we’re standing here with smiles on our faces tonight. He kept us in it when we were kind of lax in times of the game, and he was our rock tonight, and we need him to be.”
Horvat also has been invaluable for the Islanders.
“He might be the best shooter in the world right now,” Barzal said. “And that’s not just because he’s getting lucky. That’s because his shot is truly world-class. Any time he’s around the net or has a chance in the slot, it’s got a great chance of going in.”
Barzal made an elite play of his own to set up his winning goal, getting back defensively during the three-on-three play for a backcheck that started his transition rush the other way. Jonathan Drouin got the puck from Barzal and then gave it back as he skated through the slot.
“It was kind of a grind, to be honest with you,” Barzal said. “I wasn’t too thrilled with how the first 60 minutes went. It made for an exciting finish, but the game itself was grindy.”
Sorokin could do little on the two shots that did beat him. Timo Meier’s power-play goal from the slot opened the scoring at 2:12 of the first period after the Islanders’ first shift ended with them getting caught for too many men 38 seconds into the game. Then defenseman Simon Nemec tied it at 2-2 with 4.7 seconds left in regulation on a shot that deflected in off Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s stick.
The Devils’ Jacob Markstrom also was impressive in making 21 saves.
Notes & quotes: Forward Max Shabanov (upper body) missed his 10th game, but coach Patrick Roy said the Russian rookie will accompany the Islanders when they travel to Las Vegas on Tuesday for Thursday night’s game. The road trip includes games against Vegas, Utah, Colorado, Dallas and Detroit . . . Forward Kyle MacLean and defenseman Adam Boqvist remained the healthy scratches . . . The Islanders blocked 20 shots.
on Monday night at Prudential Center as scored at 1:17 of the extra period.
“He has that potential to carry us and he did tonight,” captain Anders Lee said. “He has been playing some great hockey of late.”
Sorokin made 33 saves, the same as he did when the Islanders opened this seven-game road trip with
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.