Takeaways: Islanders Beat Blackhawks 5-4

The New York Islanders exploded with five consecutive goals, but gave a few back at the end, in a 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night.

Dennis Cholowski, Simon Holmstrom (1G, 2A), Noah Dobson, Bo Horvat and Max Tsyplakov scored for the Islanders while JG Pageau had a three-assist game. Tyler Bertuzzi (2G) Connor Bedard and TJ Brodie put up goals for Chicago.

Ilya Sorokin made 26 saves on 30 shots faced in his seventh straight start. Arvid Soderblom stopped 14 of 19 shots for the Blackhawks before he was replaced with Drew Commesso, who made his NHL debut and made both saves faced in relief.

The win wasn’t a pretty one, as the Islanders got to their game in the second period and built a big lead in the third, but let the Blackhawks back in the game late. In the end, securing an important two points in the standings made it a successful night.

"Not the way we want to start," Dobson said. "We were out-worked and out-competed in the first period and we can't be doing that. But the guys responded well, had a good push later in the second, into the third, and then, obviously we got to clean up the last 5-10 minutes. We have to be better for Ilya. But found a way to win, which is the most important."

HOW IT HAPPENED

Dennis Cholowski took a cross-checking penalty and the Isles’ PK faltered on its first test of the game. After a pair of failed clears, Connor Bedard used a slick move in the slot, going backhand to forehand before wristing a shot past Sorokin to open the scoring for Chicago at 16:47.

JG Pageau sent a cross-ice pass to Simon Holmstrom at the top of the left circle in the waning seconds of the Islanders’ first power play. Holmstrom sent a pass to Cholowski at the point for the defenseman to blast a slapshot through Soderblom to tie the score at one apiece at 6:59 of the middle frame.

After tying it up, the Isles kept their momentum going and grabbed the lead. Holmstrom showcased an individual effort, as the winger got the puck out from the half walls to the point and fired off a shot that beat Soderblom through traffic. Pageau set a screen on the play.

Sorokin was sharp in his seventh straight start, stopping Craig Smith on a breakaway opportunity early in the second period and made another key save – with his helmet – against Tyler Bertuzzi rushing in with speed.

On the Islanders third goal, Noah Dobson carried the puck up ice alongside Pierre Engvall and wristed a shot at the left circle to extend the Islanders lead to 3-1 at 5:39 of the third period. The Isles struck again in less than a minute after their third goal, as Pageau entered the zone and left a drop pass for Holmstrom, who sent a pass to Horvat that made Soderblom go from left to right, as Horvat was able to wrist the puck past to take a 4-1 advantage.

Ryan Donato failed to clear the puck at the side of the crease and Tysplakov capitalized on a loose puck, stuffing it past Soderblom to take a 5-1 lead at 7:58 of the third period, which caused the Blackhawks’ new head coach Anders Sorensen to pull him replace him with Commesso.

The Blackhawks made a feverish comeback attempt, scoring three goals in the span of 8:46 to claw back in the game. Brodie’s shot from the point beat Sorokin at the 11:04 mark of the third to cut the deficit to 5-2. Bertuzzi’s back-to-back goals scored within a minute pulled the Blackhawks within one with 10 seconds left of the game.

Head Coach Patrick Roy expressed his dissatisfaction with the way his team played in the second half of the third period, only testing Commesso with two shots in the final 11:21 of the contest.

"We stopped competing in front of our own net," Roy said. "We can't play like this. It doesn't matter [what the score is]. We've got to be better in front of our net, protecting our goalie, we have one of the best in the game. We have to play the game for 60 minutes and we have to play a certain way."

HOLMSTROM’S THREE-POINT GAME

Holmstrom recorded the first three-point game of his career with a goal and two assists against the Blackhawks on Thursday night, impressing his coach with his consistency.

"He's been playing really well since the start of the season," Roy said of Holmstrom. "It doesn't matter who he plays with, he finds a way to compete and play well. He scored a nice goal, a scissor play coming into the pocket, and took that shot. Great job by him."

Holmstrom displayed strong chemistry with Pageau, who set a screen on his second period goal as the two teamed up with assists on Horvat’s goal in the third period to give the Isles a 4-1 lead. Holmstrom has played with a rotation of teammates in light of injuries, but the Swedish forward is adapting and focused on playing his best anywhere in the lineup.

"We have a couple guys out right now and I've been going through most of the lines, so I'm just getting comfortable out there, trying to play my hockey as best I can and it's been working,” Holmstrom said.

Holmstrom has 18 points (8G, 10A) through 31 games this season, seven points shy of his career-high 25 points through 75 games last season.

LINEUP NOTES

Pierre Engvall was elevated to a line with Casey Cizikas and Holmstrom. Oliver Wahlstrom played with Kyle MacLean and Matt Martin.

Anders Lee, who was considered a game-time decision with an illness, skated on a line with Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri for the fourth consecutive game. Lee recorded an assist in 15:34 TOI.

ODDS AND ENDS

• Holmstrom’s second period goal was his eighth of the season.
• Cholowski regained the lead in goals among Isles defensemen (3).
• Thursday’s win marked the third time all season the Islanders put up five plus goals in a game.
• Pageau and Kyle MacLean tied for a team-high three shots on goal.

NOTABLE QUOTE

Simon Holmstrom on the importance of getting a better 60-minute effort:

"We've got to go out there and play solid for 60 minutes, and not just 40 or 50," Holmstrom said. "You can get punished in this league, I think that's something we really got to work on to play those full 60 minutes."

NEXT GAME

The Islanders hit the road to take on the Blackhawks to complete the home-and-home set between the two teams on Sunday. Puck drop is set for 3 p.m. eastern.