GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Islanders prefer not to get caught in wide-open games. If that style isn’t necessarily the most exciting, so be it. Simple and methodical with good goaltending has worked for Barry Trotz’s team through back-to-back runs to the NHL semifinals.
In that sense, Saturday night’s 3-0 victory over the winless Coyotes at Gila River Arena, five games into a 13-game road trip, was the first time the Islanders have played pretty much the way they want.
The Islanders (2-2-1), who had allowed an uncharacteristic 11 goals in their first two games and were averaging 35.5 shots allowed through their first four games, extended their point streak to three games heading into Sunday night’s game at Vegas.
"The games have been fairly loose," coach Barry Trotz said before Saturday’s game. "Our chances are up and so are the oppositions from what I’m used to. I’m looking at some of the scores around the league, it seems that’s sort of the trend early. We are best when we keep it a lot lower on the one side and still be pretty decent on the offensive side. We’re just harder to play against. Lately, you’re seeing some looseness. Some turnovers that are unnecessary. That’s just attention to detail."
Ilya Sorokin made 26 saves for his fourth career shutout and his first this season. The Islanders took just 12 shots through the first two periods while building a 2-0 lead.
The Islanders had played well in patches, particularly in Tuesday’s 4-1 win at Chicago, but had yet to put together a 60-minute effort.
"I don’t think it’s a big concern but I think it’s something that we’ve got to take care of right away," defenseman Ryan Pulock said of the looseness that Trotz described. "We’ve been playing our system for a number of years and every guy knows it. It’s just a matter of us bearing down and keeping the focus and being at our best. There are nights where we all can be a little better in that."
The Coyotes (0-4-1) had allowed 12 goals in the first two games of their three-game homestand and had lost their season-opener, 8-2, at Columbus on Oct. 14. They also entered Saturday having killed off just three of nine power-play chances.
The Islanders went 1 for 2 on the man advantage.
Brock Nelson’s power-play goal with 10.8 seconds left in the second period after Josh Bailey toe-dragged the puck to create space to shoot in the slot, gave the Islanders a 2-0 lead. Bailey’s assist gave him 513 career points, tying him with Bobby Nystrom for 10th place on the Islanders’ all-time list.
Trotz swapped right wings after hinting he would break up Nelson’s second line, switching Bailey to Mathew Barzal’s top line with captain Anders Lee and putting Kyle Palmieri with Nelson and Anthony Beauvillier.
The Coyotes have now been outscored 12-2 in the second period this season. Zdeno Chara and Nelson both hit the post in the second period before the power-play goal.
Neither team created much in the first period and the Islanders didn’t get their first shot until a wrister from Jean-Gabriel Pageau — back in the lineup after missing Thursday’s 3-2 overtime loss at Columbus because of stomach illness — at 8:36.
But Cal Clutterbuck gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead at 16:32 as he kept the puck on a two-on-one and beat Karel Vejmelka (21 saves) from the left circle.
Beauvillier made it 3-0 at 10:51 of the third period, deking Vejmelka with a backhander at the crease just 31 seconds after Palmieri’s apparent goal was overturned for goalie interference.
