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The New York Islanders pulled off a gutsy win on Tuesday night, besting the Colorado Avalanche 5-2 and finishing the season-long, seven-game homestand with a record of 5-2-0.

Anders Lee (1G, 1A), Simon Holmstrom (2G, 1A), Bo Horvat (GWG) and Alexander Romanov powered the Islanders offense. Artturi Lehkonen and Jack Drury scored for the Avalanche. Ilya Sorokin made 30 saves on 32 shots, earning first star honors, while Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 23 of 27 shots.

Over their season-long, five-game winning streak, the Islanders outscored opponents 18-7 while their record on home ice improved to 12-11-2.

“On this stretch, we’ve gotten to our brand of hockey,” Lee said. “We executed that well, it feels natural, the way it’s come together.”

The Islanders swept the season series over the Avs for the first time since the 2018-19 season.

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      COL at NYI | Recap

      HOW IT HAPPENED

      Lee got the scoring started, cutting to the net and beat Blackwood five-hole on the backhand at 4:11 of the middle frame. The Avs were pressing in the second period and tied the score, as Nathan MacKinnon snuck the puck around Isaiah George to Lehkonen, who was sitting on the ice and found a way to receive the feed and roof the puck into the net at 13:00 of the second period.

      Sorokin turned aside 11 of 12 shots in the middle frame to keep the game time when the Avs turned up the heat.

      “In our zone in the second, Ilya stole the period completely,” Lee said. “It gave us an opportunity, a one-one game going into the third in our building, let’s go win it.”

      After winning a battle along the boards behind the net, Holmstrom carried the puck to the slot, whizzed around and beat Blackwood stick-side to regain the lead for the Islanders, 2-1. To protect a one-goal advantage, Sorokin dove to cover up a rebound attempt from MacKinnon.

      Ross Colton had a disallowed goal after Roy successfully challenged for goaltender interference. The Isles kept pushing, as Horvat was in the perfect position to bury a centering feed from Lee in front of the net to take a 3-1 lead.

      Drury got one back for the Avs, as he drove to the net and wristed a shot past Sorokin at 13:55 of the third period.

      Up 3-2, Romanov, who laid the body on Cale Makar early in the game to set a physical tone, contributed offensively and scored in his second consecutive game. After a faceoff win, Romanov blasted a shot from the point that deflected off Colorado’s Sam Girard and into the net at the 17:31 mark of the third.

      Holmstrom iced the game by beating out Makar in a footrace toward the empty net, knocking in the insurance goal to take his third point of the period (2G, 1A).

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          COL@NYI: Horvat scores goal against Mackenzie Blackwood

          PERUNOVICH MAKES ISLANDERS DEBUT

          Scott Perunovich hopped on a moving train, playing in his first game as an Islander and picking up a point – on Horvat’s game-winning goal – in the process.

          “It was a great [team] effort,” Perunovich said. “I haven’t been here long, but I can tell this is a really good hockey team, we played a really good game tonight.”

          The 26-year-old defenseman has had a crazy two days, playing in his first game with the Islanders after he was acquired from St. Louis on Monday afternoon. He logged 18:52, registered two shots on goal and finished the night with a plus-two rating,

          “He flew out yesterday, never really had a practice with us, I was very happy with his game,” Roy said. “I said [to him] just go out there and play and enjoy the game.”

          Perunovich started the game on a pair with Isaiah George, but Roy rotated his defensemen early on. The newest Islander played most of the contest with Adam Pelech, who especially helped him settle in.

          “My teammates were helping me the entire game with the systems and questions I had,” Perunovich said. “My partner took real good care of me tonight. It’s a learning adjustment but I’m feeling good.”

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              COL@NYI: Romanov scores goal against Mackenzie Blackwood

              LINEUP NOTES

              Max Tsyplakov drew into the lineup after missing four games (served a three-game suspension, sat on Saturday as a healthy scratch) and logged 10:29 TOI, three shots (one on goal, one attempt blocked, one missed) and one hit on a line with Kyle MacLean and Marc Gatcomb.

              Pierre Engvall was a healthy scratch as a result.

              ODDS AND ENDS

              • Bo Horvat extended his point streak to six games (5G, 3A) with a third-period goal.
              • Lee buried his team-leading 22nd goal of the season, extending his goal streak to two games. The captain also potted a goal back on Oct. 14 in a 6-2 win in the first game of the season series.
              • Brock Nelson has 11 points (5G, 6A) in his last nine games.
              • Tony DeAngelo recorded his first point as an Islander with a secondary assist on Lee’s opening tally.
              • Romanov led the team with six hits and five shots on goal.
              • The Isles’ PK went 2-for-2.

              NOTABLE QUOTE

              Head Coach Patrick Roy on the nature of Tuesday’s win:

              “How many times have I said you don’t need to be perfect to win hockey games. That’s exactly what we did. We gave ourselves a chance tonight. It was nice to see out guys playing the way they played.”

              NEXT GAME

              The Islanders hit the road to take on the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m.

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