Islanders defeat Devils for seventh straight win

UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- The New York Islanders extended their winning streak to seven games with a 5-3 victory against the New Jersey Devils at Nassau Coliseum on Thursday.

Five players scored, and Ilya Sorokin made 19 saves for the Islanders (17-6-4), who extended their point streak to 10 games (9-0-1) and are the only team in the NHL without a regulation loss at home (12-0-2). Ryan Pulock had two assists.
"I think we did a lot of good things off the start," Pulock said. "The first couple of periods, we played north. Obviously it got away from us a little bit in the third, where we weren't as sharp, but there's things that we can clean up every game, no matter the outcome."
New York lost forward Anders Lee to an apparent lower-body injury at 12:56 of the first period following a collision with New Jersey forward Pavel Zacha. The Islanders captain leads New York with 12 goals and was playing his 295th consecutive game.
"I don't have an update," Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. "Obviously, he got twisted up there. He's being evaluated and we'll see where he is in the morning.
"Anders is our captain, he's our leader. He does everything right. He's such a good pro and such a good person. He's got the total respect of our whole team and the bench all the time. [There are] very few times Anders Lee struggles to get up from any kind of hit or anything. He's a tough, tough man and everybody on our bench felt for him there."
Mackenzie Blackwood made 29 saves for the Devils (8-12-3), who have lost seven of eight.
It was the first of a three-game set. The teams play back to back at New Jersey on Saturday and Sunday.
"They were dominating us in the first two periods; shots reflected that (25-12), score reflected that (4-0)," Devils forward Kyle Palmieri said. "I mean, we have these guys two more times over the weekend, and that's something that we need to correct going into the weekend."

Matt Martin gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead at 3:15 of the first period on a wrist shot between Blackwood's pads for his fifth goal of the season. Adam Pelech made it 2-0 with a wrist shot from the left point at 9:54.
Noah Dobson was credited with the goal to make it 3-0 at 14:05 of the second period when his shot from the point was accidentally pushed across the goal line by Devils defenseman Damon Severson. New Jersey coach Lindy Ruff challenged the play for goaltender interference, but the goal was upheld after video review concluded Oliver Wahlstrom was pushed into Blackwood by Sami Vatanen.
Josh Bailey scored 3:08 later on a one-timer from Casey Cizikas to push the lead to 4-0.
"I think as the team as a whole, we stood around a little too much in the first 40 minutes," Palmieri said.

The Devils scored twice in 40 seconds early in the third period to cut it to 4-2. Janne Kuokkanen knocked in a rebound at 3:23, and Mikhail Maltsev scored on a backhand at 4:03.
"We played a lot better [in the third]," Ruff said. "It started with getting some pucks to the net. Not a lot of opportunities early in the game; we weren't skating well. I think as a group, [it] seemed like the energy was low and when your energy is low, you don't skate well. We didn't pass the puck well.
"If we're going to get behind the eight ball every game, it's going to make it really, really hard on this group."
Trotz called timeout after Maltsev's goal, and Brock Nelson scored for the fourth straight game 41 seconds later when he redirected a centering pass from Pulock at 4:44 to make it 5-2.
"Good response by the bench," Trotz said.

Jack Hughes flipped a backhand past Sorokin at 15:52 for the 5-3 final.
Five of New York's six defensemen scored at least one point. Andy Greene was credited with an assist on Dobson's goal before it was taken away.
"Everyone was kind of chipping in," Pulock said. "Obviously, we want to try to bring that element, help our forwards out, get them the puck and get pucks on net, give them a chance. Tonight, we did a pretty good job."
NOTES:The Devils failed to score on their lone power play and are 0-for-19 in their past seven games. … Sorokin, a rookie, has won his past five starts. … New York played in front of fans at home for the first time this season by welcoming 1,000 health care workers. … It was Trotz's 100th win as Islanders coach (100-56-21).