Islanders top Devils in shootout for ninth straight win

NEWARK, N.J. -- The New York Islanders won their ninth straight game, 3-2 in a shootout against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on Sunday.

Kieffer Bellows scored, and Ilya Sorokin made 29 saves for the Islanders (19-6-4), who have the longest active winning streak in the NHL and extended their point streak to 12 games (11-0-1).
"It's obviously really exciting anytime you can string together some wins and consistently win," Bellows said. "Every point matters, and for us to come out with an extra point tonight was massive, but it's been a blast. The guys have been real energetic, fun, but when it comes down to game time, we're business."

Scott Wedgewood made 32 saves for the Devils (8-13-4), who were swept in the three-game set and have lost 11 in a row at home (0-10-1). They have not won here since a 2-0 victory against the Islanders on Jan. 24.
"It's heartbreaking; I feel for the players," New Jersey coach Lindy Ruff said. "They battled hard. Our goalie battled hard and made some great saves. There's ways that we could have been better, but there's still a lot where I feel the pain the players are going through."
The Devils thought they won the game 27 seconds into overtime when P.K. Subban scored on a slap shot from the top of the left face-off circle, but the goal was overturned after New York coach Barry Trotz successfully challenged for offside.
"You're thinking the game's over, and then they started to take a look at it, and our video guys are calling down saying they're pretty sure it's offside, so it's game-changing," Islanders center Brock Nelson said. "Obviously, it gives us some life. You don't want to take a penalty [in overtime], but the penalty kill did the job, and then [Sorokin] made some big saves. They're not always going to be pretty, but a win is a win."
Oliver Wahlstrom scored the deciding goal on his first NHL shootout attempt in the fourth round. Anthony Beauvillier scored in the third round to extend the shootout.
It was also the first shootout of Sorokin's NHL career.
"After they scored on their first shot of the shootout (by Devils forward Nikita Gusev), I thought [Sorokin] really held fort after that," Trotz said. "I thought that was a really huge goal by [Beauvillier] when the pressure is on. If you don't score, game over [but] you get that goal and keep yourself alive, then 'Wally' getting the winner.
"Not the prettiest ... it was drawn out, the longest 60-minute game we've had in a while, that's for sure."

Bellows scored on a deflection from the slot for his third goal in two games to give the Islanders a 1-0 lead at 4:18 of the first period.
Janne Kuokkanen extended his goal streak to four games less than a minute later on the power play, a backhand along the ice from the slot at 5:12 to tie it 1-1.
Nelson scored through a screen on a wrist shot from along the right-wing boards with one second remaining in the first period to give the Islanders a 2-1 lead. It was his sixth goal in the past seven games.
"I just tried to turn, fire something through and it found a way," Nelson said. "It had some eyes and went through some bodies."
Yegor Sharangovich scored on a snap shot from the high slot to tie it 2-2 at 16:04 of the second period.
Islanders forward Austin Czarnik and defenseman Sebastian Aho were inserted into the lineup after center Jean-Gabriel Pageau and defenseman Noah Dobson each was placed on the NHL COVID-19 protocol list. Aho had one assist in his first NHL game since March 18, 2018.
"You're always concerned about a player, but the protocols are in place for reason, and it's to keep them and everyone else on the team and the staff safe," New York defenseman Nick Leddy said. "So take it day by day and we'll see how it goes."
NOTES: Sorokin, a rookie, has won his past six starts. … The Islanders are 4-0-1 in the second of back-to-back games this season and 21-2-3 since Trotz took over at the start of the 2018-19 season. ... The Devils' home skid is tied for the second-longest in NHL history with the Boston Bruins (1924-25), Washington Capitals (1974-75) and Ottawa Senators (1993-94); the Pittsburgh Penguins hold the record with 14 straight home losses, set from Dec. 31, 2003 to Feb. 22, 2004. … Kuokkanen's goal ended New Jersey's 0-for-22 slump on the power play over the previous eight games.