The Islanders played in front of the announced sell-out crowd they wanted after a 6-1-0 road trip and the fans brought the desired energy, with frequent “Let’s Go Islanders” chants through the first two periods despite a two-goal disadvantage.
But the first game back from a long trek typically tends to be a tough one for the home team and the Islanders proved that again on Saturday, losing 2-1 to the Blues at UBS Arena.
“Yeah, they’re always tougher games,” coach Patrick Roy said. “I guess the fact that we were trailing early on probably hurt us a little bit as well. We didn’t have the same jump that we had on that road trip, which is normal.”
“Coming back from a long trip sometimes takes a day,” said captain Anders Lee, who halved the deficit with a backhander at the crease at 16:40 of the third period with goalie Ilya Sorokin off for an extra skater. “You saw that maybe the first five, 10 minutes of the game that we didn’t have the pop we normally would have had. The legs are heavy. Your sleep schedule is still off. But that’s not the excuse.”
The Islanders (12-8-2), opening a seven-game homestand as they played at UBS Arena for the first time since Nov. 7, also host the Lane Lambert-coached Kraken on Sunday.
“I felt like we were a little flat at times today,” defenseman Ryan Pulock said. “I know tomorrow we will be better there.”
Jordan Binnington made 30 saves for the Blues (7-9-6), who snapped an 0-1-3 skid, while Ilya Sorokin stopped 20 shots. But he gave up a goal on the game’s first shot as Brayden Schenn beat him from the right circle 42 seconds into the first period.
Saturday’s announced crowd of 17,255 marked the Islanders’ first sellout since the home opener on Oct. 11 and they are now averaging 15,480 through nine home games.
After Thursday’s 5-0 win in Detroit, both Lee and Bo Horvat told Newsday the Islanders were hoping for a large crowd in their return home as a reward for their road-trip success. Horvat went as far as to agree when asked whether he would consider it an issue if Saturday was not a sellout.
Horvat nearly scored an equalizing goal at 17:54 of the third period as his shot from the right circle deflected off defenseman Justin Faulk and past Binnington. But the goal was immediately waved off for goalie interference as Kyle Palmieri tumbled into Binnington after getting tangled with Faulk.
Faulk’s stick did hit Jonathan Drouin as he fell, drawing a four-minute double minor for high-sticking. The Islanders then could not solve Binnington to force overtime despite skating six-on-four with Sorokin again off for an extra skater.
Roy opted not to challenge the interference call on Palmieri, believing it would not be overturned.
“We had a two-minute six-on-four, we were confident we could do something,” Roy said. “But I don’t think we could have won the challenge. I would prefer the referee would have called a good goal and let them challenge it.”
“It’s a jostle for position,” Palmieri said. “I thought I had the opportunity to get around him and screen the goalie and there was some contact. I thought there was a reaction from their goalie to make sure.”
The Blues had taken a 2-0 lead at 17:51 of the second period as Pius Suter pounced on a rebound at the crease.
Notes & quotes: Roy said goalie David Rittich would start Sunday…The Islanders held a moment of silence prior to the game for late New York Post hockey columnist Larry Brooks, who covered the team in the late 1970s and into its Stanley Cup dynasty. A seat in the press box with flowers and pictures of him was set aside for Brooks, who died from cancer on Nov. 13 at the age of 75…Mathew Barzal notched his 339th career assist, breaking a tie with John Tonelli for the seventh most in team history…The Islanders had no update on defenseman Alexander Romanov (upper body/injured reserve), whose right arm is in a sling. Roy reported Romanov consulted with doctors on Saturday and the team hoped to know more by Sunday. He is expected to be out for a significant period… Defenseman Marshall Warren of Laurel Hollow and forwards Kyle MacLean and Max Tsyplakov remained the healthy scratches.
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.