HOW IT HAPPENED
Patrick Roy was expecting an early Oilers push – and he got it, as Edmonton racked up 17 first period shots. Sorokin was ready for the siege, stopping all 17 shots he saw to keep the game scoreless and allow the Islanders to find their legs. The Islanders did a better job of limiting the Oilers in the second and third periods, holding Edmonton to eight and seven shots in the next two periods.
“Ilya kept us in the game,” Roy said of Sorokin early. “I was very happy the way we bounced back in that second period and third period. I thought we did a lot of good things, and I was pretty proud of our group, how we defended, and the chances that we had.”
Despite a superb Sorokin, the Oilers struck first, as Draisaitl beat Sorokin with a slap shot from just outside the slot at 8:46 for his league-leading 48th goal of the season.
The Islanders had chances of their own and eventually broke through in the third, as Horvat blocked Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ point shot, turning the play into a two-on-one. Horvat kept, shot and scored stick side to tie the score 1-1 at 1:21
The Isles continued to press, with Anthony Duclair having a breakaway roll off his stick following a deke, while Hudson Fasching was denied off the rush with five minutes to play in regulation.
“We just have to cash in on those find ways to bury those,” Horvat said. “We’ve had trouble putting the puck in the net the last three games and we have to find a way.”
While the Islanders ultimately fell in overtime for the second time this season to Edmonton, they showed some guts early on. Simon Holmstrom defended a trio with Connor McDavid and Draisaitl without a stick and Adam Pelech laid out to block an Evan Bouchard one-timer, hobbling for the reminder of the shift.
Casey Cizikas and Pierre Engvall nearly won it for the Isles, but soon after, Pickard intercepted an Engvall pass, with McDavid springing Draisaitl for a breakaway and the win.