ELMONT, N.Y. — The Islanders extended their winning streak to three with a workmanlike 2-1 victory over the struggling Blue Jackets on Thursday night at UBS Arena, leapfrogging the Rangers to move back into a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Ilya Sorokin made 20 saves with his bid for a fourth shutout this season spoiled with 20.5 seconds left in regulation as Emil Bemstrom tipped defenseman Marcus Bjork’s shot with the Blue Jackets skating six-on-five. Sorokin was in net for all three wins on the homestand as he snapped a personal seven-game losing streak.
The injury-depleted Islanders (21-14-2) started Hudson Fasching on top-line center Mathew Barzal’s right wing. But he finished on Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s third line with Casey Cizikas, normally the fourth-line center, being elevated to Barzal’s line. Aatu Raty, in his third NHL game, again centered the fourth line, which included Ross Johnston, inserted into the lineup for the first time since Nov. 29.
The Blue Jackets (10-22-2) also have a lengthy injury list that includes Patrik Laine, Boone Jenner, Jakub Voracek and defenseman Zach Werenski. They have lost seven straight, being outscored (24-9) in that stretch and dropped to 2-11-1 on the road.
Joonas Korpisalo stopped 34 shots.
The Islanders notched their first power-play goal since Dec. 9 as Brock Nelson fed Barzal for a one-timer from the left circle to make it 2-0 at 16:39 of the second period.
Pageau opened the scoring at 7:12 of the second period, stuffing in the rebound of Fasching’s initial shot. Pageau had swiped the puck away from defenseman Adam Boqvist at the Islanders’ blue line and carried the puck up ice on the rush.
The Islanders entered the game in an 0-for-25 power play drought over their previous eight games. And their two first-period man advantage opportunities generated just two shots and yielded a two-on-one shorthanded rush with Sorokin denying defenseman Erik Gudbranson at 15:46 after Barzal’s turnover at the Blue Jackets’ blue line.
Korpisalo stopped 13 shots in the first period, stoning Cizikas from the low slot with his left arm at 18:46 and turning aside Fasching’s backhander at the crease with 13 seconds remaining.
