ELMONT, N.Y. — The Islanders know they need to start truckin’ if they have any hope of making the playoffs.
Thursday night’s efficient 4-1 win over the Sabres at UBS Arena after a 10-day layoff could be the sign of a good start.
All four lines and the three defense pairs were solid despite the long break. Semyon Varlamov made 36 saves for his second win this season — and second straight — and Mathew Barzal had a goal and two assists.
The Islanders (9-12-6) finished December a respectable 4-2-4 after an 0-8-0 skid but remain in last place in the eight-team Metropolitan Division.
The Islanders had not played since a 4-3 shootout loss to Vegas at UBS Arena on Dec. 19. There was the NHL’s scheduled holiday break but also four more postponements as the Islanders had home games against the Canadiens on Dec. 20, the Capitals on Dec. 23 and Wednesday night against the Red Wings, plus a scheduled game at Buffalo on Monday night, all called off because of the leaguewide COVID-19 outbreak.
In all, the Islanders have had six games postponed since Nov. 28.
Anthony Beauvillier, Brock Nelson, Oliver Wahlstrom and defenseman Sebastian Aho are in COVID-19 protocol for the Islanders, who added forwards Austin Czarnik and Michael Dal Colle to Thursday’s lineup from their taxi squad.
"What I like about this group, we’re sort of like an 18-wheeler," coach Barry Trotz said before the game. "When we start to be moving in the right direction, we’re hard to stop just because we get all four lines playing the way they’re capable of, being consistent in our decision-making and our commitment, and getting good goaltending. All the aspects of the game. And we usually have some sustained success.
"You just don’t know what’s going to happen to other teams: Injuries, COVID, bad play, whatever."
The Sabres (10-17-5) returned to action with a 4-3 loss to the visiting Devils on Wednesday night after going 11 days without a game, including a postponed match against the Islanders at Buffalo scheduled for Monday night. The Sabres have six players in COVID-19 protocol, including forwards Jeff Skinner and Dylan Cozens, and assistant Matt Ellis continued to run the bench with coach Don Granato also in COVID-19 protocol. Four other players, including defensemen Robert Hagg and Colin Miller, are hurt.
The Islanders took control in the second period. Kieffer Bellows, making the most of his extended look in the lineup because of the COVID-19 absences despite his own stint in protocol, made it 2-1 at 6:45 by combining strong stickwork with his lethal wrist shot. Bellows skated around Alex Tuch in the neutral zone, then shielded the puck from defenseman Henri Jokiharju before blistering it past Malcolm Subban (28 saves).
Then, Bellows set up Anders Lee’s power-play backhander at the crease at 11:25.
Despite the can’t-be-helped rust, the Islanders came out with a solid first period, particularly Barzal. The top-line center missed the previous three games after testing positive for COVID-19 at Detroit on Dec. 14 but he now has points in the last seven games he’s played (two goals, 10 assists).
Barzal opened the scoring with a rising wrist shot from the high slot over Subban’s glove at 12:35 of the first period. In all, Barzal took five shots in the first period and eight in the game.
Former Islander Kyle Okposo’s power-play goal at 19:00 of the first period tied it as he collected a loose puck off the right post tied it at 1 after Matt Martin tripped Alex Tuch.
Defenseman Noah Dobson’s slap shot off Subban’s stick and through his pads made it 4-1 at 11:43 of the third period.
