3 Takeaways: Islanders Beat Up Blue Jackets 7-3  

The New York Islanders took care of business on Tuesday night with a 7-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets at UBS Arena.

Pierre Engvall, Cal Clutterbuck, Kyle Palmieri and Mathew Barzal (2G) and Bo Horvat (2G) scored a season-high seven goals for the Islanders, while Emil Bemstrom and a three-point night for Adam Fantilli (2G, 1A) provided the offense for Columbus.

The seven-goal output, including three goals in the third period helped turn the page after Tuesday's 5-4 OT loss to the San Jose Sharks where the Islanders let a three-goal lead slip.

“Our guys did a great job of responding and doing what they needed to do by staying aggressive,” Head Coach Lane Lambert said. “I don't know if we would call it relief, but it's what we talked about and what we expect."

Semyon Varlamov turned aside 32 of 35 in the win, while Spencer Martin made 29 saves in the loss. Varlamov picked up his first home win of the season, improving to a 5-3-1 record overall this season – with two of those wins coming against Columbus.

With the win, the Islanders improved to 8-0-2 in their last 10 matchups against Columbus and 5-0-0 against the Jackets at UBS Arena.

BARZAL, HORVAT AND LEE STEP UP

When the Islanders needed a big game, the trio of Bo Horvat (2G, 1A), Mathew Barzal (2G, 2A) and Anders Lee rose to the challenge. The line combined for four goals and seven points on the night, with Horvat and Barzal each scoring a pair of goals.

Barzal was in the right place at the right time on both of his goals, as his first came off a blocked Scott Mayfield shot that caromed to the open winger for a quick put-back from the circle to make it 3-2. After Adam Fantilli made it 4-3 1:28 into the third period, Barzal restored the Islanders two-goal lead. Again he was in good position, as Horvat scooped up a Noah Dobson rebound and found Barzalwith open ice in the slot. Barzal whipped it past Martin to make it 5-3, as the Islanders were able to pull away and build on their lead.

As for Horvat, the center scored two goals 20 seconds apart to bury the Blue Jackets. Horvat collected his own rebound, circled the net and backhanded a shot at 11:31 gave the Islanders a 6-3 lead, while he followed up with another goal 20 seconds later to make it 7-3.

Anders Lee had a huge impact even without hitting the scoresheet, recording a team-high six shots, three hits and a takeaway with a +4 rating on the night.

“Lee was the unsung hero tonight,” Barzal said. “I don't know if he got on the scoresheet, but he did a lot of good things out there that allowed us to score. He made good wall, sent picks and what not. He had a great night.”

Barzal has 11 points (4G, 7A) in his last four games, including two four-point performances, while Horvat has nine points (4G, 5A) in his last five games.

AN OPPORTUNISTIC SECOND PERIOD

While the Islanders started the second period on the wrong foot, they showed some grit and wrestled control of the game back by scoring three consecutive goals in a 4:49 span to leave the period with a two-goal lead.

"The second period wasn't going our way," Barzal said. "But we got a couple of looks, they went in and it's a completely new hockey game.”

Columbus dominated the beginning of the frame, scoring twice in 4:15 as the Islanders found themselves stuck in their own zone. Adam Fantilli took a shot that was kicked off the end boards behind the net as Emil Bemstrom was there to knock it in at 5:56, knotting the score at one apiece. The Blue Jackets responded just over four minutes later, with Fantilli wristing a feed from Kent Johnson to take a 2-1 advantage.

The tenor changed at 14:30, as Hudson Fasching found Cal Clutterbuck in the slot, kicking the puck to his stick before snapping it home to make it 2-2.

"The Blue Jackets had some momentum early in the second period and we weren't executing," Anders Lee said. "But Clutter opened the gates to relive their momentum and then we took over from there."

Semyon Varlamov came up with his biggest save of the night at the right time, stopping a Johnny Gaudreau breakaway opportunity to protect the 2-2 tie just after Clutterbuck scored.

"Varly really kept us in it when we were not playing well in the second period," Clutterbuck said. "We got stuck in our end and he made some big ones for us that allowed us to find our footing and get rolling."

Barzal and Kyle Palmieri (PPG) scored 28 seconds apart to cap off the three-goal period to take a 4-2 lead into the final frame.

POWER PLAY STAYS HOT 

Special teams played a role in Thursday’s win, as the penalty kill went 1-for-1 and the power play produced for the fifth straight game, going 1-for-2 against Columbus. The power play was efficient too, scoring 16 seconds into its first opportunity with some pretty cross-ice passing resulting in a Palmieri goal.

“That was a heck of a play by Barzy and Brock and Palms to bang one in early,” Horvat said. “It was a really pretty tic-tac-toe play. It’s fun right now.”

The Islanders power play has gone 6-for-14 (42.8%) over the last five games. Since Nov. 15, the Islanders 38.7% conversion rate (12-of-31) leads the NHL.

"Confidence, familiarity," Barzal said when asked about what's clicking on the power play. "Noah Dobson has come into his own, giving us good quarterback there. Palmieri's quick hands down low, Nelson's one timer and Bo in the slot.. there's a lot of threats on the ice to make it dangerous."

NEXT GAME:

The Islanders take on LA Kings on Saturday night at UBS Arena. Puck drop is at 7:30 p.m.