ELMONT, N.Y. — Not surprisingly, it was a low-scoring game.
The Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck has won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goalie and the Islanders’ Ilya Sorokin could be a candidate this season. Heck, both could be considered perennial candidates.
Clutch goaltending, of course, is crucial for any team’s playoff push and the Islanders helped their postseason hopes with a 2-1 win on Wednesday night at UBS Arena.
The teams play a return match in Winnipeg on Sunday afternoon.
The Islanders (30-24-7), who won their second straight, hold the Eastern Conference’s first wild-card spot, three points ahead of the Panthers, who have played one fewer game and are in the second wild-card spot. The Penguins are four points back but have played four fewer games as have the Red Wings, who are five points behind the Islanders.
Rookie Simon Holmstrom, who coach Lane Lambert has said more than once — including Wednesday morning — needs to show more offensively, roofed a wrist shot from low in the slot at 9:57 of the third period for the game winner.
Holmstrom started the game on Otto Koivula’s fourth line but began earning time on Bo Horvat’s top line as the game progressed. It was Holmstrom’s fourth goal of the season and his first in seven games.
Sorokin made 25 saves while Hellebuyck stopped 20 shots for the Jets (35-22-1).
Sorokin was coming off a brilliant 44-save performance that allowed the Islanders to rally for a 4-2 road win over the Penguins on Monday night. Hellebuyck made 50 saves that night in a 4-1 win over the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
Strong special teams performances, in addition to solid goaltending, is another must-have for any team’s playoff push.
The Jets did go 1 for 4 on the power play while the Islanders were 0 for 4, clearly struggling with forwards Mathew Barzal, Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Josh Bailey all absent from the man advantage because of injuries. Particularly Barzal, who controls the power play from the half-wall with the puck on his stick.
But the Islanders’ penalty kill stood out as the Jets had two power-play chances in the third period that yielded just two shots. They were also solid after Hellebuyck was pulled for an extra skater.
Ross Johnston took a holding penalty against Kyle Connor at 5:43 of the third period. Otto Koivula, brought up from the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport for the game, took an awful tripping penalty against Karson Kuhlman at 12:51 as he reached out with his stick.
Sorokin kept the Jets from an early goal when he somehow got a glove on Blake Wheeler’s wide-open, tip-in try at the post at 4:51 of the first period with the puck sliding harmlessly through the crease.
Sorokin also slid to his left to stone defenseman Josh Morrissey with the teams skating four-on-four at 17:00 of the first period, allowing the Islanders to take a 1-0 lead 35 seconds later. Brock Nelson led a two-on-one rush on the right, with Hellebuyck making the initial save. But defenseman Sebastian Aho buried the rebound on the far side.
But the Jets continued having the better chances as they held a 13-4 shot advantage in the second period, including taking the first seven shots.
The Islanders didn’t get their first shot of the second period until defenseman Noah Dobson’s power-play wrister from the blue line at 9:06. By then, the Jets had tied the game at 1-1 as Nikolaj Ehlers connected a blistering wrist shot from the left circle at 4:30.
Hellebuyck kept the game tied as he denied Casey Cizikas at the crease at 11:22 of the second period off a feed from Hudson Fasching.
