5 Takeaways: Sorokin Shines in Islanders 3-2 Shootout Win

Deja vu.
Ilya Sorokin's superb performance backstopped the New York Islanders over the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 in a shootout - the same score and scenario as their last meeting last Saturday - in the first leg of a back-to-back set on Thursday night at Nassau Coliseum. The victory extended the Islanders winning streak to four games and with the two points, the Islanders now have sole possession of first place in the East Division standings.

This time around, Brock Nelson scored the Islanders shootout winner, as he put the game away in the fifth round. Nelson opened up scoring for the Islanders, while Jordan Eberle also got on the board, but Sorokin stole the show with his 25-save performance. Thursday night marked the debut in Islanders threads for Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac, who the Islanders acquired in a trade with New Jersey on Wednesday night.
Nicolas Aube-Kubel and Jakub Voracek scored for the Flyers, while Carter Hart made 21 saves on 23 shots.
We know it wasn't our best, sometimes you get away lucky and you get some saves," Eberle said. Good teams find a way to win. We've had a lot of games where we've played really well and haven't [won]. The [hockey] gods tend to equal it out."
Here are five takeaways from the Islanders exciting 3-2 shootout victory:

WITH EARLY LEAD, ISLANDERS OUTLAST LATE PUSH

Both teams came flying out of the gate, but the Islanders, in particular, had some noticeable oomph to their spirited play. They concluded the period with a 2-1 lead and a 9-7 shot advantage.
As both teams were playing with pace, the Islanders capitalized twice in the span of 1:03. Nelson got the Islanders on the board 6:10 into the period. After Ryan Pulock curled around the cage and sent a cross-slot pass to Nelson, the Islanders center scored his second goal in as many games - and team-high 15th of the season - as sniped his shot just below the crossbar.
The Islanders second strike of the period came just over a minute later as Leo Komarov was positioned behind Philadelphia's goal and centered a feed to Eberle on the doorstep. Eberle roofed his shot over the right shoulder of Carter Hart to give the Islanders a 2-0 lead at 7:13.

While the Islanders were buzzing, their momentum came to a halt after Flyers defenseman Samuel Morin boarded Casey Cizikas face first into the boards 14 seconds after Eberle's goal. Cizikas immediately skated off to the Islanders dressing room, with a bloodied face. Upon review, the official issued Morin a five-minute major and a game misconduct.
Despite going up against the Flyer's sub-par penalty kill - which is ranked 30th in the NHL (72.8%) - the Islanders didn't have anything to show after the five minutes and gave up two shorthanded chances. Fortunately, Cizikas was able to return to the ice during the final minute of the Islanders power play.
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Nelson's Opening Strike
Eberle Scores on Doorstep
Nelson and Sorokin's Shootout Success
That's a moment where your best response is score on that power play, not only one, but maybe two," Trotz said. That would have been the best response. We had them at 2-0 nothing, we had them in a very vulnerable spot and we let them hang around. They ended up getting momentum from the power play. They were working harder on the penalty kill than we were working on the power play, therefore they got momentum off of that."
The unsuccessful five minutes of power-play time deflated the Islanders momentum and the Flyers responded to cut their deficit down 2-1. While they picked up their intensity, Philadelphia's first goal was a byproduct of a fluky play. Sorokin attempted to swat away a wrist shot from Aube-Kubel that was taken from the top of the right faceoff circle, but instead the puck deflected off of Sorokin's blocker, off the shaft of his stick and trickled into the net at 13:53.
The Flyers went to work in the second period and were rewarded for their efforts as they tied the score 2-2 early on and outshot the Islanders 8-6. Philadelphia's straight line game broke past the Islanders defense as they quickly cleared their own zone and counter attacked. Claude Grioux fed a cross-ice pass to Voracek, who beat Sorokin with a lower blocker-side shot at 3:22.
It seemed as if the Islanders may catch a break as Cal Clutterbuck drew a tripping penalty on Robert Hagg at 15:15 and were awarded their second power play of the night. Of the two minutes - and the period - the most promising look came as Anthony Beauvillier took a solo chance and dangled through the entire Philadelphia penalty kill, but his backhander sailed off the crossbar. The Islanders ended their power play with three seconds of four-on-four after Matt Martin took a holding penalty at 17:12, fortunately they killed that off.
While the Islanders managed a decent opening 40 minutes, it was a lopsided third period in favor of the Flyers. Philadelphia dictated the play and controlled possession as they dominated shots 10-6.
The Islanders best chance of the period came in the final three minutes of play off of a Komarov faceoff win. Barzal wired a look on net from the right faceoff circle, but his shot rang off the post.
Since 60 minutes wasn't enough, the teams went to OT for the fifth time in their regular-season series. In the extra period, the Islanders and Flyers exchanged looks, but the Islanders weren't able to put the game away even after receiving a power play on Hayes' hooking penalty in the final 1:58.
So, for the second-straight meeting, the teams went to a shootout.

SOROKIN STEALS THE SHOW

Video: PHI@NYI: Nelson nets shootout winner
While it was a full team effort that paved the way to the win, Sorokin was the story of the night. With the win, he improved his record to 10-3-1 and remains perfect on home ice with a now 7-0-0 record. It was also Sorokin's fifth time this season facing the Flyers, improving to 4-0-1.
I think his confidence, especially against Philly has been good," Trotz said. I think his confidence every time he goes in the net is growing."
The Islanders rookie netminder came up with clutch saves at crucial points in the game, and even saw an active amount of chances that came on the Islanders own power play. Philadelphia's penalty kill was active and generating shorthanded chances, but Sorokin stoned them, including a Michael Raffl breakaway.
In the first period on Morin's five-minute first-period major, the 25-year-old Russian denied a 2-on-1 rush and a shorthanded breakaway from Travis Konecny on and also made a pivotal stop on a shorthanded look from Kevin Hayes late in the second period on Martin's penalty.
Sorokin came up with a solid third period, despite Philadelphia's push to give his team an extra life as they entered overtime. In overtime, a sequence of stops - including a point blank save on Hayes in the slot - from Sorokin warranted 'Il-ya!' chants throughout the Coliseum.
In the shootout, Sorokin denied the nifty look from Sean Couturier, gloved a shot from Nolan Patrick, swatted a between-the-legs attempt from Giroux and stoned Konecny to once again prompt the endearing Il-y-a chants from the Islanders fans.

BETTING ON BROCK

Video: PHI@NYI: Nelson wires home wrister past Hart
It was another clutch performance from Nelson, who scored his second game-winning goal in as many games. In doing so, Nelson also bolstered his team lead in goals as he potted his 15th goal of the season. The center sealed the win as he scored the only goal of the shootout in the fifth round.
Nelson now has 24 points (15G, 9A) through 40 games.

PALMIERI AND ZAJAC MAKE DEBUTS AS ISLANDERS

The Islanders newest additions, Palmieri and Zajac, who were acquired on Wednesday night from the New Jersey Devils made their debuts for the Islanders against the Flyers. Both of the veteran forwards drew in the lineup in place of the Islanders rookies Kieffer Bellows and Oliver Wahlstrom.
Trotz utilized last year's trade deadline acquisition Jean-Gabriel Pageau as the center piece between Palmieri and Zajac on a line. Palmieri, who donned a No. 21 sweater for the Islanders, skated on his off side at left wing, while Zajac, a natural center, skated on Pageau's right wing and sported his new jersey number of 14.
Trotz relayed to the media ahead of the game that he expressed his intentions to both Palmieri and Zajac that he would do his best to give them five-on-five opportunities as well as time on one of the Islanders two special teams.
Palmieri, the 30-year-old, saw action on one of the Islanders power play units where he occupied the left faceoff circle. He totaled 15:11 time on ice and 3:57 on the power play, produced two shots, two hits and one block.
Zajac saw some reps on the penalty kill. The 35-year-old skated 12:34, including 1:05 on the penalty kill, fired off one shot and two hits.

POWER PLAY STRUGGLES

The Islanders power play went 0-for-3, including a five-minute major in the first period and two minutes of 4-on-3 in overtime.
After finishing the month of February with the NHL's top ranked power play of the month going 9-for-22 (40.9%), the Islanders have struggled to find success on the man advantage since. In the past 11 games and 28 opportunities, the Islanders have converted on the power play just four times.

NEXT GAME:

The Islanders close out their back-to-back set as the host the New York Rangers on Friday night at Nassau Coliseum. It'll be the first meeting since Feb. 8 for the crosstown rivals. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.